April 13, 2008

Who Do YOU Sound Like?

My parents ate breakfast yesterday at a local cafe, or perhaps more accurately, a "greasy spoon." One of the patrons was a local sports coach who was holding court with anyone who would talk with him. Plenty of people knew him and he was having a grand time shining on the willing audience.

My parents were listening to other people's conversations (a great way to pick up the local "news") and couldn't help hearing the coach's chatter as he held forth, no doubt on his favorite subject. My dad particularly noticed that the man's favorite source to quote was himself.

We've all heard people like this I suppose. Their conversation is peppered with remarks like, "I always say,..."; "As I told so-and-so,..."; "I always tell them..."; and so forth. To hear them tell it, you would think that they are the most useful and reliable sources of information.

Our family once saw a series of historical documentaries done by the droll Englishman, Alistair Cook. In one of those films he made this clever witticism (clever for an Englishman, that is), "Someone once said, and it might have been me..." and thus imparted some appropriate quote upon the subject. This is unfortunately how some people seem to think, only they really mean it.

I was just thinking the other day that anyone who knew my Gramma Hoover very well would recognize that I had spent quite a bit of time with her by hearing me talk. I use her expressions and words, and no doubt use her manner of speech enough to betray the fact that we were close relatives as well as close friends.

In the gospel of Matthew we read that when Peter was warming himself beside the fire in the high priest's palace, the others there were accusing him of being with Christ. He denied it, but they could not believe him. Matthew 26:73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Peter's speech had betrayed him. Whether it was his Galilean accent or some other clue of his speech I don't know for sure, but he gave himself away with his mouth.

Later, after the apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost at the day of Pentecost, Peter and John were arrested and stood before the spiritual leaders of Israel (including some of the same men who had officiated at the trial of Christ). When Peter answered the men boldly in the power of the Holy Ghost, we are told in Acts 4:13, Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Their speech showed that they had been with Jesus. They were not naturally men of this sort of boldness, speech and wisdom. If they had not listened, had not believed and had not desired to follow Christ, their speech would not have reflected His influence on them.

Our speech shows whom we have been spending time with, who our companions have been. The coach mentioned above shows by his speech who he thinks is important and who is an excellent source of knowledge or wisdom - himself. My own expressions and some of my mannerisms reflect a person with whom I spent much time and who was a great influence on me - my grandmother. Many people are quick to quote their pastor or some other expert or "guru" whom they consider to be a "great source" of wisdom.  When some question or issue comes up, they will inform you, "Well, Pastor ________, says thus and so."  If you ask them why they do such and such, they won't give you scripture, they will quote Michael Pearl or Jack Hyles or Gothard or some such person.

What a wonderful thing, though, it would be to have it said of us that others knew we had been with Jesus because of our speech and our manner! I think there are few witnesses of His power in our lives that should be so sweet and so desired as this one. People strive for notice in soul-winning, in works of many kinds, in being noted for their "great deeds for Christ", in having a "deep spiritual life" and many such things. But, if we have spent so much time with Christ, hearing His words and listening to Him, that people can readily recognize it because our speech and our behavior is different - because we are peculiar people (Titus 2:14) - any other truly spiritual accomplishments should naturally, or rather supernaturally, follow.

A number of years ago my dad and a friend of ours had the distinct privilege of meeting a man who "had been with Jesus." He had obviously saturated his soul with the word of God, for his speech betrayed him. My dad and his friend were traveling from Canada back into the U.S. They had a large load of scripture plaques and there was some question as to whether they would be charged duty at the border. Since they were not prepared to pay a large amount of money for this, there was some concern about it. Before they left this brother from whom they had received the plaques, he  wanted to pray with them. As he prayed my dad and our friend came into genuine awe. The man's manner of praying was to quote passages of scripture easily and fluently, working them into his prayer without any strain to do so and talking as if it were the most natural way in the world to talk to God. And perhaps it is. It was not a stilted or forced thing, but simple expressions and requests regarding the trip and the need at hand. It was not pompous or puffed up, but sincere and as a man would talk to his friend. The man's normal speech had been well salted, but his manner of prayer made them realize that they had been visiting with a man who had spent much time with the Lord reading and absorbing His word. (Incidentally, though significantly, this man had also had a truly heart breaking experience which had changed the whole course of his life.)

[By the way, they got through the border without paying any customs because the inspector declared the plaques "religious icons" - though all they had on them were scripture verses. :-) ]

There are many Christians who live in fear or suspense about the coming of persecution to the USA.  There are many professing believers whose mouths are full of political ideologies, conspiracies, health dangers, the praise of man, the world, etc.  Would to God that if we are ever called upon to answer before a court of man for our behavior and speech that our testimony before men would be that they would take knowledge of us that we had been with Jesus!

Deuteronomy 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom...

CA

March 23, 2008

Some Thoughts On Easter

The Wrong Day

Well, today Christendom was celebrating what is commonly called "Easter". The thing that is particularly odious about this in this particular year is that Passover does not occur until sometime in April. Speaking from a biblical standpoint, Christians should not be observing a special day in relation to the resurrection of Jesus Christ until the first "Sunday" (the first day of the week) directly following Passover. This would be in keeping with the scriptures. The fact that almost all Christians and Christendom were observing it today only serves to emphasize the disturbing fact that the feast of Ishtar (Astarte), Easter, has been transposed over Christ's own resurrection in the minds of so many Christians. This is thanks to the Roman Catholic church, and specifically to the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD which decided that all "Christians" should celebrate "Easter" on the same Sunday. In the course of time, the true church bowed to the whore and so it became the accepted practice.

Oh, there are still plenty of God's people who can tell you the things that are wrong with "Easter" in relation to the pagan myths and symbols that are used on this day - eggs, bunny rabbits, even sunrise services - but, they often go ahead and celebrate on the same day with those observing the ancient fertility festival just as if it didn't matter. Many even incorporate the symbols of the ancient fertility cult. Why?

Stop and think what a testimony it would have been in a year like this if most or all of the true followers of Jesus Christ had refused to observe the resurrection on this day. If they had made it clear that they would not honor the resurrection till the first "Sunday" after Passover this would have made a powerful statement to many, including the Jews. (Sometimes I wonder what thinking Jews must think of Christians making such a stupid mistake.) As with the observance of Christ's birth, if the church would make a point of honoring the resurrection holyday when it really would have happened it would give numerous opportunities to bear witness to the truth, and it would make a clear division between the sacred and the secular!

God grant that there will be those who will have the courage and wisdom to do this. I sincerely hope that there are some who have already figured this out.

2Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Curious doings...

In the U.S., the government postal employees do not get "Good Friday" off, nor do they get any day off work in relation to Easter. This is presumably to avoid the mixing of church and state because Easter is a "Christian" holiday. (Never mind that they all get time off for "Christmas"!) Strangely enough, in Australia, a nation that does not "enjoy" nearly as much "Christianity" as does the U.S., they not only get "Good Friday" off, they also get "Easter Monday." They have a four day weekend in honor of the festival. How strange.

(Incidentally, some friends of ours who abandoned the Christmas holiday for biblical reasons were opposed by their "godly, American, Christian" relatives and understood by their heathen German relatives. The Germans readily understood that "Christmas" was not a Christian holiday in origin and accepted that their Christian relatives would not observe it. -- Hello? Is anybody, home?)

Where did you get that?

Some years ago we met an alleged evangelist/pastor who was all fired up about "Christmass" not being a Christian holiday - which it is not. Strangely enough, this same man came up with the unaccountable idea that "Easter" was a perfectly good name for the resurrection observance because, "salvation comes from the East." Well, well. Now there's a bright idea. Yes, we in the Americas did hear the gospel from the east so to speak (it was actually moving west at the time - away from the sunrise and it's related cults), but salvation does not come from "the east". It comes from Jesus Christ; who, by the way, is at the right hand of the Father in the sides of the North.

Psalm 48:1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. 2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. (Also see Isaiah 14:13)

Psalm 75:6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Eastern religions are a curse and peril to the Lord's church. For anyone to claim that "Easter" is a good word because salvation is "from the East" is very misleading and could cause confusion. What's more, it's silly. :-)

James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (This was proved true in the man mentioned here as well).

graphics & background by Mary E. Stephens