Friday Fritz | 20 June 2014 – Faith in God Alone

I have some things that I cannot leave unsaid.

I am a Christian.

I am an American. This has nothing to do with me being a Christian; it just happens to be where I was born. If I had been born in Syria my hope is that someone would have told me about Jesus so that I could become a Christian. Being born in America does not make me a Christian.

I love our American constitution. However, there is nothing in it that is "Christian", just American. If the constitution were in any way Christian, Americans would be the only ones saved. You don’t have to have an American constitution to go to heaven. It makes life on earth easier to tolerate but it does nothing for your relationship with God or His Kingdom.

The right to free speech afforded us in our constitution is not a Christian right. Christians in China have no such right, yet they love God. People in Egypt are dying daily because of their stand for Christ. They have no state-given right of free speech.

Americans are not God's chosen people. The Bible was not written exclusively for Americans. There were no Americans when the Bible was written. One does not have to become an American in order to be saved. Our mission efforts should never become attempts to bring American culture to a foreign land; only the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Just to be clear, I love my country. I’m not looking to renounce my citizenship. I just want to clearly define the line between the Kingdom of Heaven and nationalism.

I am also not endorsing dualism. That is the concept of separating our “spiritual life” from our “natural life.” I am a Christian and it is reflected in everything that I do.

America is not a Christian nation. We are a nation founded on Christian principles. Because laws have been passed that are contrary to Biblical principles, our American heritage has eroded. You cannot legislate Christianity, only Christian principles.

The Church (big “C”) cannot be destroyed by any law passed in Washington, D.C. or any state capital. Our churches (little “c”) can be greatly affected by laws. The Kingdom of God is not affected by anything man does.

Some have developed a view of God that makes Him out to be a conservative Republican. God is neither conservative nor Republican; He is God! A disciple of Jesus is neither conservative nor Republican. If you add ANYTHING as a requirement to being a child of God you have missed the truth.

Look at the passage in the Book of Acts known as “The Council at Jerusalem”. Some wanted to add circumcision as a requirement to being saved. It was rejected. Anything beyond being identified with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the right had of Father is beyond grace, and therefore unnecessary for salvation.

I realize there are volumes written on this same argument so I do not claim this to be even a fair treatise on the subject, but I hope you at least hear my heart. This weekend evaluate the understanding you have of faith in God, and see if anything has been “added to” that really is not essential for your relationship with Father. If so, repent.

Thor's Day Thunderings | 19 June 2014 - The Names of God

Several years ago I challenged our praise team to find all the names of God mentioned in scripture. It is important to develop a language to use in our worship. I don't mean rote memorization of songs, hymns, or prayers, even though there's nothing wrong with that. What I do mean is when we attempt to express what we feel toward our Creator God, our Father, it helps to have ways of describing those feelings. What if the only way you communicated with your spouse was to say "thank you" and "I love you"? After a while it becomes monotonous and boring. Your spouse wants to hear what you think about them, what they do, how they look, what they think.

Learn some of these names for God and use them when communing with Him in prayer. It doesn't change Him, but it does change us. It builds faith when you are sick and you call Him "healer". It helps you, and others with you, when you ask "The Prince of Peace" to come to a hospital room where someone is dying. It keeps God relevant to our lives. He's not just "God" up in heaven somewhere waiting on us to "check in" with Him. By learning some of the names the He used to communicate who He is through scripture it can help us relate to Him in our everyday activities.

Here's the list that our team composed. There are 199 of them. I searched for 200 just because it looks better than 199. Some have scripture references, some do not. If you find more, or know more through your experience of communing with Him, please share them in the comments.

1. Abba - Rom 8:15
2. Above All - Eph 4:6
3. Adonai (our Master)
4. Almighty God - Deut 10:17
5. Alpha & Omega - Rev 21:6
6. Always Awake - Ps 121:4
7. Ancient of Days - Dan 7:9
8. Anointed One
9. Avenger - Ps 94:1
10. Awesome God
11. Blessed - Ps 144:1
12. Bread of Life
13. Bridegroom
14. Bright Morning Star
15. Calmer of Storms - Ps 107:29
16. Captain of the Hosts
17. Clothed With Honor - Ps 104:1
18. Clothed With Majesty - Ps 93:1
19. Clothed With Strength - Ps 93:1
20. Cloud by Day
21. Comforter - Is 66:13
22. Compassionate - Lam 3:22
23. Conqueror of Our/My Enemies - Ps 108:13
24. Consolation - Rom 15:5
25. Consuming Fire - Deut 4:24
26. Counselor - Is 28:29
27. Covenant Keeper - Ps 89:34
28. Covered With Light - Ps 104:2
29. Creator - Gen 1:1
30. Creator of the North & South - Ps 89:12
31. Crown of Glory - Is 28:5
32. Defense - Ps 94:22
33. Deliverer - Ps 91:3
34. Dew - Hos 14:5
35. Director of My/Our Path - Prov 3:6
36. Disciplinarian - Ps 89:32
37. Doer of Wonders - Ps 77:14
38. Dwelling Place - Ps 90:1
39. El Elyon (the most High God)
40. El Olam (Everlasting God)
41. El Shaddai (God Almighty) - Ex 6:3
42. Emmanuel - Is 8:8
43. Eternal God - Deut 33:27
44. Everlasting Arms - Deut 33:27
45. Everlasting God - Is 40:28
46. Everlasting Strength - Is 26:4
47. Everlasting to Everlasting - Ps 106:48
48. Excellence - Is 28:29
49. Excellent - Ps 76:4
50. Faithful - Lam 3:23
51. Father - Is 63:16
52. Father of Lights - Jms 1:17
53. Father of the Fatherless - Ps 68:5
54. Feeder of the Hungry - Ps 146:7
55. Fire by Night
56. First & Last - Is 41:4
57. Forgiving - Num 14:18
58. Fortress - Ps 91:2
59. Friend That Sticks Closer Than a Brother
60. Gentle - Is 40:11
61. Gift Giver - Jms 1:17
62. Giver of Good Things - Matt 7:11
63. Glorious - Ps 76:4
64. Glorious Lord - Is 33:21
65. Glory - Ps 3:3
66. God With Us
67. Good - Ps 145:7
68. Good Shepherd
69. Gracious - Ps 145:8
70. Great - Ps 145:3
71. Guide - Ps 48:14
72. Habitation - Ps 91:9
73. Healer - Ex 15:26
74. Healer of Broken Hearts - Ps 147:3
75. Helper - Ps 146:5
76. Helper of the Fatherless - Ps 10:14
77. Hiding Place - Ps 32:7
78. High Tower - Ps 144:2
79. Holy - Lev 19:2
80. Holy One - Is 12:6
81. Holy Spirit
82. Husband - Is 54:5
83. Husbandman (Gardener) - Jo 15:1
84. I Am - Ex 3:14
85. In Us All - Eph 4:6
86. Infinite Understanding - Ps 147:5
87. Jealous - Ex 34:14
88. Jehovah (the self-existent one; I AM)
89. Jehovah-Elohim (the Lord God)
90. Jehovah-Jireh (will provide) - Gen 22:14
91. Jehovah-M’kaddesh (the Lord Who Sanctifies)
92. Jehovah-Nissi (the Lord our Banner) - Ex 17:15
93. Jehovah-Rapha (The Lord who Heals)
94. Jehovah-Rohi (the Lord my Shepherd)
95. Jehovah-Sabaoth (Lord of Hosts)
96. Jehovah-Shalom (the Lord our Peace) - Jud 6:24
97. Jehovah-Shammah (the Lord is Present) - Ez 48:35
98. Jehovah-Tsidkenu (the Lord our Righteousness) - Jer 23:6
99. Judge - Gen 18:25
100. Just - Is 45:21
101. Keeper - Ps 121:5
102. King of All the Earth - Ps 47:7
103. King of Glory - Ps 24:10
104. Lamb that was slain
105. Lawgiver - Is 33:22
106. Lifter of My Head - Ps 3:3
107. Light - Ps 27:1
108. Light of the World
109. Lily of the Valley
110. Living Water - Jer 2:13
111. Longsuffering - Num 14:18
112. Lord - Gen 15:2
113. Lord God Omnipotent - Rev 19:6
114. Lord of Hosts - Ps 24:10
115. Lord of Lords - Deut 10:17
116. Lord of the Sabbath - Ex 20:10
117. Lord on High - Ps 93:4
118. Love - 1 Jo 4:8
119. Lover of my soul
120. Loving kindness - Ps 89:33
121. Majesty - Ps 145:5
122. Maker of Heaven & Earth - Ps 115:15
123. Man of War - Ex 15:3
124. Master
125. Merciful - Eph 2:4
126. Messiah
127. Mighty - Lu 1:49
128. Mighty & Terrible - Ps 93:4
129. Mighty in Wisdom - Job 36:5
130. Miracle Worker - Matt 19:26
131. Most High - Dan 7:27
132. My Only Hope
133. Near - Ps 145:18
134. Never Changing - Jms 1:17
135. Never Weary - Is 40:28
136. Omnipresent - Ps 139:7-10
137. One Who Hides Himself
138. One Who Sanctifies - Num 8:17
139. Our Strength - Ps 46:1
140. Peacemaker - Prov 16:7
141. Perfect - Matt 5:48
142. Physician - Ps 103:3
143. Potter - Is 64:8
144. Powerful - Ps 66:7
145. Prince of Peace
146. Promise Keeper - Is 46:11
147. Provider - Matt 6:31-33
148. Ready to Forgive - Ps 86:5
149. Reconciler - 2 Cor 5:18-19
150. Redeemer - Is 54:5
151. Refiner - Mal 3:3
152. Refuge from the Storm  - Is 25:4
153. Refuge - Ps 46:1
154. Repairer of the Breach - Is 58:12
155. Rescuer - Dan 6:27
156. Revenger - Ps 94:1
157. Righteous - Ps 5:8
158. Rock - 2 Sam 22:32
159. Rock of Our/My Refuge - Ps 94:22
160. Rock of Our/My Salvation - Ps 89:26
161. Rose of Sharon
162. Ruler - Judges 8:23
163. Salvation - Ps 91:16
164. Satisfier of Desires - Ps 145:16
165. Satisfier of the Longing Soul - Ps 107:9
166. Savior - Ps 106:21
167. Shade on Our/My Right Hand - Ps 121:5
168. Shadow from the Heat - Is 25:4
169. Shepherd - Ps 23
170. Shield - Ps 3:3
171. Slow to Anger - Ps 103:8
172. Son of God
173. Song - Is 12:2
174. Soon Coming King
175. Steadfast - Dan 6:26
176. Strength to the Needy - Is 25:4
177. Strength to the Poor - Is 25:4
178. Strong - Ps 89:8
179. Sustainer - Ps 3:5
180. Teacher -  Ps 119
181. The Amen - Rev 3:14
182. The Christ
183. The Door
184. The Head of the Body
185. The Life
186. The Resurrection
187. The Risen Lord
188. The True Vine
189. The Truth
190. The Way
191. Through All - Eph 4:6
192. Trust - Ps 71:5
193. Trustworthy - Ps 144:2
194. Truthful - 1 Sam 15:29
195. Upright - Ps 25:8
196. Walks on Wings of the Wind - Ps 104:3
197. Wisdom - Dan 2:20
198. Worthy - Rev 4:11
199. Yahweh

Wednesday Wit | 18 June 2014 - Steven Wright-isms Part 2

More from my favorite comedian, Steven Wright.

I got a new dog. It’s a paranoid retriever. He brings back everything because he doesn’t know what I threw him.

My school colors were clear. I’m not naked, I’m in the band.

If you didn’t know me, would you think I was a stranger?

Who is General Failure and why is he reading my hard drive?

What happens if you get scared half to death twice?

I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.

I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.

Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.

A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.

The colder the X-ray table, the more of your body is required to be on it.

The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread.

The severity of the itch is proportional to the reach.

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.

The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life.

The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

Tuesday Thrombosis | 17 June 2014 – Presumption

Many years ago at the height of the Word of Faith movement, Dr. Frederick K. C. Price wrote a book called Faith, Foolishness, or Presumption?. It rattled the WoF community. I’m not commending or condemning the book or the author, just using it as a backdrop for this installment on the blog.

Whenever we step out and “believe God” we need to be certain that we are acting in faith, and not foolishness or presumption. Today we will look at presumption.

The story Naaman, found in 2 Kings 5, has intrigued me for a long time. It illustrates what happens to someone who steps out on presumption. According to Webster presumption is “an attitude or belief dictated by probability; the ground, reason, or evidence lending probability to a belief.”

When we go to God for a solution we need to be willing to accept His resolution to the problem at hand. Consider this portion of the story.

2 Kings 5:9-12 (KJV) So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

He went to receive a miracle (healing of an incurable disease) but wanted it done his way. Naaman wanted to believe, but he deduced how it would go down. He thought the prophet was going “conjure” up some kind cure, as a witchdoctor might attempt to do. He thought there would be some theatrics involved, some grandiose display that would accompany the miracle.

Instead, Elisha told him to go take a bath in a muddy river, 7 times, and the leprosy would be washed away. “Behold, I thought …” That is presumption. It seemed so innocent. On the trip over to Israel some in Naaman’s entourage began speculating on what would occur. “Perhaps he will pour a magic potion on you.” “Maybe he has an incantation that will make you clean.” “Perhaps he will strike his hand over the place …” At some point Naaman was convinced by the reason given him by others as to what would take place when they met the prophet. He was wrong.

Fortunately for Naaman, this was not the end of the story. He listened to more counsel as they walked away. 2 Kings 5:13-14 (KJV) And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Presumption can be displaced and give way to faith. Naaman must have realized that miraculous does not always come by extravagant or lavish means. Consider Jesus: born in a stable (virgin birth), carpenter by trade (Kingdom builder), kill by an angry mob (spotless Lamb sacrificed for the sin of the world). Yes, Jesus fed the multitude, but He also talked with a woman at a well, ministered deliverance to a demon-tormented man in Gadera, and spoke with an adulterous woman after everyone was gone.

Never miss the miraculous by discounting it as simple. Don’t give place to presumption.

Our prayer: Lord, help me believe Your word. Let me not calculate the probability, but accept Your answer without question. Remove any presumption that might be buried in me by revealing Your Truth. In Jesus’ name.