Linkathon!
John MacArthur tells Beth Moore to go home…
Anger at Archbishop Glenn Davies for saying Anglicans should believe what Anglicans believe…
There is a crack in everything…that’s how the light gets in…
Veils, hair, and women in Corinth…
Should Christian worship happen with a concert atmosphere?
“Evangelical” isn’t code for white and Republican…
When the devil works the hardest…
The pastor as hourly employee…
The Gospels are fact, not folklore…
If I were going to get a tattoo it would say…
Four surprising habits for Christian formation…
Is Christianity about denying self or being happy?
Evangelical leaders under fire for supporting Paula White book…
Is American Christianity really in free fall?
Eugene Peterson and a reflection on life and death…
More later…maybe…
From “When the devil works the hardest”:
”Yet, even those sins of thought, word, and deed that we commit every day, even despising preaching and His Word, are conquered and forgiven in Christ. “
I am convinced that the Prodigal Son story isn’t a one time act. It’s daily. And we need this reminder or the devil will drive a wedge between us and our Lord via guilt and shame. It’s something I struggle with constantly.
Thanks for the links. ??
I very much respect the efforts of Archbishop Glenn Davies to preserve his tradition and its foundation.
Joel
Why do we need “the Devil?”
In the earliest writings the definition of “Satan,” and it is constantly used in this manner, is an accuser or adversary. Later James teaches we are led by our own desires and lusts, which I might add only need a little prompting to get us to follow them. Hardly a task for the great adversary, Satan, to work on us.
I think what I have to remember is I am constantly accused of falling short of the mark and maybe that is the “roaring lion” which keeps us from Him.
I fail every day in just about every area of life, but I have an advocate who reminds me to continue the path and not fall away after my own thoughts, desires and lusts. I am not like God, I can not decide what is good, moral and right. But I can listen to Him and follow His ways.
He conquers my failures and gives light to each step!
The Devil didn’t make me do anything, I did it via my own free will.
MM, agreed and thank you. Trusting we can daily return to the Lord without fear of rejection takes practice and trust. It’s so easy to believe He’s had enough of failures and forgetting Him amidst all the distractions of life.
I’m thankful for the reminders to keep going because He’s for us despite ourselves.
Glenn Davies….
Unfortunately it wasn’t clear from his original comments, (or perhaps people who quoted him made it unclear) that he wanted leaders (particularly bishops) to leave if they wanted to change doctrine. He wasn’t saying for anyone who help a different view to leave.
So a spokesperson had to go in for an interview with a hostile (in a friendly way) panel… you evangelicals are always wanting people to come as you are, but now you’re telling people to leave… Didn’t the Anglican Church start because Henry wanted a more permissive sexual ethic?
I remember when Davies was elected. He was definitely the less conservative candidate. They were worried the other guy may have been less agreeable to the rest of the country.
Eric,
I hear what you’re saying, but can a pastor or bishop who holds a different view, teach the authentic or approved doctrine of the church with a good conscience and integrity? It seems to me, at least, that if you are charged with teaching and you find yourself at odds with the teaching of your church, that you have the obligation to either resign as a teacher or teach somewhere else.
The UMC in America is going through the same thing, except, to my knowledge, they have no Bishop like Bishop Davies.
“Blessed are the lost” is another gem:
”When I wander, love runs after me time and time again to bring me back. My shepherd knows my name. He knows my fear, my failure, my sin, and my doubt. He comes to me when I’ve tried to hide myself from Him so that He may hide me in Himself.“
What a great comfort for the chronically discouraged from wandering and hiding.
“But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?””
Yes, there are enough numbers on the conservative side that hopefully they can resist any moves to change the rules with marriage. Sydney is the largest diocese; it and a few small ones are dominated by evangelicals. Other dioceses have a mix of liberal, traditional and evangelical. I think the traditional side is shrinking and the evangelicals have grown this century.
Of course the debate can always be had about what is core doctrine and what may change.
More similar to the UMC is the Uniting Church in Australia, where they voted to allow same-sex marriage while acknowledging their deep division over the issue (in fact the vote may not have reflected the views of the majority). They is undergoing a bit of re-org in each state so the division of states in presbyteries is not strictly geographical but there is a specifically evangelical presbytery in each state.
JoelG
“But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”
Look up the Hebrew word used for “where” in the context of the question God asks in the garden. It is not necessarily a reference to location, it has a strong idea of asking a more personal question about the two.
If God doesn’t know where, as in location, anyone is then quite frankly He isn’t God. But, if the question is more personal than that maybe it hints at something else about God’s concern for His creation.
You might also note it’s the first question asked in the bible.
Location word:
“Tell me please, where are they shepherding?” (Joseph, regarding his brothers whereabouts, in Genesis 37:16)
“Where did you gather grain today?” (Naomi to Ruth, in Ruth 19:2)
“Where are Samuel and David?” (King Saul, searching for his nemesis, David, in I Samuel 19:22)
Non-location uses of the word from Gen 3:9:
“A man dies and then where is he?” (Job 14:10).
“Here’s the fire, but where is the lamb for the offering?” (Gen 22:7)
“Where are their gods?” (With reference to idols, Psalms 115:2)
“To their mothers, will say: where is the grain and wine?” (Lamentations, 2:12)
Comparing the words, one used for an actual location and the other more of a probe, what is the heart of God being described through His question?
I’ll leave it for you and others to decide.
Where are you in this life?
MM, Thank you for engaging with me. I appreciate the comparison you put forth and agree it’s not that God didn’t know their location.
I think we can all identify with these words from Paul:
“For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.“
In the Evangelical culture I’m somewhat familiar with one should demonstrate how much “better” one is getting. Well, I’m not getting much better.
At the same time, it’s His compassion for
sinners that always draws me back to Him, time after time after time, no matter how far my heart runs away and hides.
Joel,
You’ve got a good nose for sniffing out when a church or preacher wants to put the Christian back under the law, rebuilding what Christ died to tear down. I love reading your reminders.
Thank you Jean. Running away from God is a lonely place to be. I do it too much. I thank God He pursues us no matter how far away we go and draws us back to Him. He is our Shepherd.
JoelG
Consider Cain after he murdered his brother, did God send him away or did Cain leave on his own accord?
““Cain left the presence of the LORD …”(Genesis 4:16)
And then consider Jesus Parable of the two sons;
We all like to identify with the son who left and returned and somehow (in our myopic views) we miss what the father does;
“…But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20)
The father did these things:
1. saw him before he arrived at the home.
2. felt compassion for his son.
3. he ran to his son
4. he embraced his son. (before the son had a chance to clean up)
Of course it shouldn’t be forgotten the son had to repent and return to the house, but the heart of the father for his family is clearly defined.
The bible has narratives from the beginning to the end of God’s mercy, grace and love for His creation. The vengeful and harsh image of an OT God just isn’t true.
Thank you MM. Amazing stuff.
Not all who wander are lost…
If you haven’t been hated and scorned by JMac it is just because you are a nobody or your group doesn’t have a name.
“Should Christian worship happen with a concert atmosphere?”
“And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns. But as the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.” – 2 Sam 6:14-16 [NLT]
JesusFreak
To put things in context, we used the same scripture 45 years ago for the same reason you’re using it here in 2019.
Now my question is this to you, why do you want or defend the “rock concert” atmosphere as a possible standard of worship?
I also might mention the traditional setting of “the Sermon on the Mount” is really more like that of a “rock concert,” but there’s no music, just teaching (which a very large mass of people came to hear). Also consider the setting where the fish and the loaves fed the people, another possible similarity.
Is it about loud music, flashing lights, jumping up and down and theatre smoke or did something else?
Just some thoughts from someone who’s been around a bit.
“Should Christian worship happen with a concert atmosphere?”
“And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns. But as the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.” – 2 Sam 6:14-16 [NLT]
JesusFreak
Yes I get it what you really want us to read is this, “… When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.”
We did the same so many decades ago, but you still seem to ignore what is a fair question. It also seems you would rather use a piece of text as a rod rather than fairly present a rebuttal to author’s view and his observations.
I’m inclined to agree with Dread regarding johnny mac. His dismissive tone belies the fact that he’s hollow.
Beth Moore is quickly hurtling toward that moment that to remain in the SBC fold will become co-dependence. Perhaps JM’s words were prophetic–that she should go and find a new home.
The double posting was accidental. It did not look like the first posting took, initially. Probably a CDN issue.
As for the “rod” comment, this was an acknowledgment that there is nothing new under the sun.
JesusFreak
It seems you are unable to fairly engage and exchange on a subject in a manner fit for mature and caring human beings.
Thank you for your fantastic example in that regard.
All right you two. Don’t make me send you to your rooms. ??
JoelG
Thanks!
❤️?