Yahweh Rapha v Christian Snake Oil

I never cease to be amazed at the wide variety or remedies and cures that are promoted by Christians. It often seems like every Christian has a favourite cure.

• A Christian radio station carries adverts for bee venom.
• When a prayer group is asked to pray for a person with arthritis, an intercessor suggest a remedy that helped her cousin.
• A Christian organisation is promoting "glyconutritionals" as a key to healing of many diseases.
• Other Christians are advocating herbal remedies for heart disease.

Maybe these things have an effect, but why are Christian not proclaiming the healing power Yahweh Rapha, the God who heals. Surely, it is the most effective remededy for sin and sickness. I cannot help wondering if there is not something missing from our understanding of the healing power of the cross.

Tags: Christian Healing, Healing, Jesus

Local not Global

The Holy Spirit works locally, not globally. He is not interested in large audiences or getting onto television. He prefers to work in a particular locality with local people. When Peter’s mother-in-law was healed, the entire neighbourhood came with their sick. They realised something special was going on, because they knew Peter and his mother-in-law. Some had seen her with the fever and seen her again healed. They did not need proof that she was healed.

When healing goes onto the public stage, questions get asked. Was the person really healed? Were they pretending to be sick to get close to the great preacher? Were they as sick as they claimed? Did the sickness come back next week? Has the healing been authenticated by their doctor? The Holy Spirit is not interested in all this junk.

He prefers to work locally. The people living close will know the person that is healed. They will quickly work out for themselves if the healing is real. When Jesus healed the man who was blind from birth, “his neighbours and those who had formerly seen him begging” quickly realised that he had been healed (Jn 9:8).

One reasons that we do not see as many healings as we would like is that we look in the wrong places. We expect people to be healed on the stage at the front of a church or on television. The Holy Spirit loves to work locally. If we went and prayed for our sick neighbours, we would see greater healings.

Tags: Healing, Holy Spirit, Local

Trumpet or Cymbal

This blog has been a bit of an experiement. Over the past year, I have updated it on most days. While this has not been a burden, I am not sure if this is the best way to add value. I am becoming concerned that the Christian voice in blogosphere is becoming a bit of a babble and I feel like I have been adding to that noise.

From now on, I will be updating this blog less regularly, but I my posts will have more substance. My aim is to be more of a trumpet sound, and less of clanging cymbal.

Working for Families or Michael?

Our government has just expanded their Working for Families package. Now large families with income over $100,000 can get a social welfare benefit.

Most of the debate about this new package focuses on economic efficiency. However the really important issue is the moral one. Does Michael (the finance minister) have the right too take income from some people and give it those with children. He certainly has the power, but is this morally right.

If I take money from another person without their permission, I am guilty of theft, even if I give the money to peope with children. If I force people to give me money, I am guilty of robbery, even if I give the money to people with children.

So why are these actions not theft, when Michael does is the one doing them. It is one thing to say that rich people should be generous to the poor. Jesus believed that.

It is very different to take money from people by force and give it to the poor. This is something Jesus never did.

Tags: Theft, Social Welfare, Working for Familes

Win-win or Lose-lose

In a family-centered culture parents would invest in their children’s education and the children would support their parents in old age. Those who give the most are middle aged people at the peak of their earning powers. These intergenerational transfers would strengthen family bonds.

When the state takes over, excessive taxation limits the ability of parents to invest in their children. The state also encourages young people to borrow, so they develop bad attitudes to debt. Students are independent of their parents before their time, so they often make unwise decision.

Tags: Family Transfers, Education, Old Age

Pro-Family is Anti-Family

The family is becoming a political football. Parties on the left and right are claiming to be pro-family. This is nonsense.

A pro-family government is anti-family. The only pro-family government is anti-government, and they do not exist.

The reason is that pro-family policies make families dependent on the government. This may help families in the short term, but in the long run, it undermines families.

Tags: Family, Politics

Watchmen (6)

Satan generally uses stealth and deception. The success of his plans depends on Christians not waking up to what is happening until it is too late to respond. God countgers by revealing Satan's plan's to the watchmen. They can then expose his plans and blow his cover. God reveals the attacks of the enemy in advance, so that he can be exposed and defeated.

God’s response to one of Daniel's visions was to send watchers (Dan 4:13-17). The scriptures do not tell us much about them, but they are clearly very powerful angels. They were able to bring down Nebuchadnezzar, one of the most powerful rulers that the world has ever known. Compared to Nebuchadnezzar, Saddam Hussein was a midget, yet the watchers brought him down from his throne. Watchers are capable of foiling the worst plans of the enemy. I think that they might be released by the prayers of the watchmen on the watchtowers.

Anyway, the role of the watchmen is clear. God responds to the attacks of the enemy by exposing his plans, and countering with something even more powerful.

Tags: Watchmen, Watchers, Defeat

Watchmen (5)

We must remember the purpose of the watchmen. They are not there to boost the name of the enemy and paralyse God’s people with fear. Their purpose is to warn the people of danger, while it is still a long way off. This gives the people living outside the city time to get behind the walls where they will be safe. The watchman's warning also gives the city leaders time to prepare their defences, so they can repel the enemy when he comes.

The safety of a city depends on the watchmen being on the watchtower. It also depends on the leaders at the gate heeding their warning. If the watchmen and the leaders at the gate of the city each do their task, the enemy’s plans should be defeated and the city kept safe.

Tags: Watchmen, Warning Leaders

Watchmen (4)

We must keep God's perspective in mind when interpreting warning visions. Christians often get so focused on the evil that Satan has planned that they fail to notice God'’s response. This gives Satan a place he does not deserve. He is a loser and all his schemes and plans will fail. Getting us absorbed in the negative part of a vision is the enemy's favourite trick for causing us to miss what God is saying and doing.

This is the worst feature of many "prophecy sites" on the internet. The bloggers and discussion boards get so absorbed in the evil being warned against, that they miss what God is saying and promising. We should fear God, not the devil and his schemes. We should listen very carefully to what God is saying through a vision.

The watchman's task is not to make Christians afraid, but to show them how they can be victorious, if they get ready. Most visions are not about the people of God being defeated, but are a promise that God'’s people can be victorious, if the watchmen do their work. We need watchmen who can tell us how to get ready.

......................................

Here are a couple of examples.

In 1982, a visiting English preacher called David Pawson shared a vision of a Commando Army around New Zealand. The vision promised that if New Zealand Christians formed into commando units, they would experience victory when an economic crisis came. Christians immediately focussed on the crash and when it would come. The name of the vision was changed to the Coming Bombshell. The challenge to form commando units was ignored and the promise of victory was lost.

Another example is the response to the Day of the Watchmen by Hollie Moody. Her vision gives a powerful challenge to watchmen. I suspect that it may also be a warning of the dangers of cloning humans. God seems to be promising that if the watchman are alert and do their work, this evil will not succeed. Yet most of the focus has been on the evil, and the vision is now called the Nephilim Vision. As usual, many Christians have bought into the evil, but missed the challenge and ignored the hope.

I believe that the same problem applies to our interpretation of Daniel and Revelation. All the negative passages are applied to the current age. All the promises of victory are pushed to after the second coming. This gives a total distorted view of God's plan and produces Pessimistic Christianity.

When interpreting visions from God, we should take off our dark glasses and listen carefully to God's promises of victory and hope in the light of his word.

Tags: Watchmen, Pesimism, Revelation

Watchmen (3)

A watchman was standing on a watchtower. He saw trouble coming and told the shepherds to get the sheep into the safety of the fold. The shepherd asked the watchman to get the sheep into the fold. However, when the watchman tried to round up the sheep, they just scattered. They did not know the voice of the watchman. Only when the shepherds heeded the watchman’s warning and called the sheep did the sheep come into the fold.

Watchmen stand on the walls of the city of God so that they can see what God is doing and call the people to respond. Watchmen look out into the darkness and the distance to see what evil is coming and what God is doing. Good relationships between pastors and the watchman are essential. The watchman should communicate what they see to the pastors. The pastors can then prepare the sheep for what is going to happen. The sheep know their shepherd and they will respond to them. If they do not know the voice of the watchmen, they will not respond to them.

Technorati Tags: Watchman Prophet

Watchmen (2)

When a watchman receives a dream or vision about a cataclysmic event, they should be very careful about how they give warning. Before speaking, they should find out the status and meaning of the events they have seen.

Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? (1 Cor 14:8).

A cataclysmic vision or dream may have any of the following possible meanings.

1. symbolic message with a spiritual interpretation,
   
2. a warning of what Satan is planning, so that we can resist him,
   
3. a warning event, that is a type of something worse coming,
   
4. an event that may happen soon
5. and event that is a long way into the future,
6. and event that will only happen, if God's people do not repent.
   
7. a final judgment on a people that has rejected God.
   

The appropriate response is different for each of these different types.

Modern Christians have a tendency to assume the worst. We generally interpret vision or dream of awful events literally. We also assume that the event is coming soon and that its coming is certain. This is often not the case.

Sounding the trumpet is not sufficient. Sharing a vision is not enough. Watchmen are required to sound the trumpet clearly. When sharing a vision or dream, they should also explain its meaning. If this does not happen, God's people will become confused. Too much confusion could lead to Christians being defeated and God's name being mocked.

During this current season, too many confusing visions are being shared. Many of these visions have come from the Lord, but because their meaning is misunderstood, God's people are being confused. We need a clear sounding of the trumpet to prepare God's people for victory.

Tags: Watchman, Warning, Judgement

Watchmen (1)

The place of watchmen is on the wall, looking out into the direction that he is pointing. The can be lonely, discouraging work. Jesus is pleading with his watchmen to stay on the walls where he needs them to be.

Many watchmen are down in the city chatting with friends, because they got lonely. Others are on the conference circuit, where the money us better. Some are busy trolling the internet, but that is not the same as listening to the Lord. Others grew tired and have gone to sleep. Others have given up, because they are weary of their warnings being rejected.

Jesus urgently needs his watchmen to get back up on the watchtower where he has appointed them.

Tags: Watchman, Watchmen, Jesus

City Politics

Our city leaders are worried about the inner city. Shoppers have stopped going to the inner city, because they prefer shopping in suburban shopping malls. The parking is better and the shops are closer together and under cover.

So what does the City Council do? What they are good at. Spend more money. They are increasing the rates (paid by people who prefer shopping in suburban malls), so they can spend millions on revitalization the inner city. There aim is to make people (who prefer shopping in suburban shopping malls) shop in the city centre. They know best where people should do their shopping, so they will spend the people's money, getting them to do their shopping in a place where they don't like shopping. This is the twisted logic of the politicians.

I am glad that this City Council was not around when the horse and carriage was being superseded by the automobile. I presume they would have taxed cars, so they could spend millions preserving the carriage building industry.

Tags: City, Politics

Big Man Leadership

The problem I described yesterday is not confined to the United States. Excessive dependence on hierarchical, charismatic leadership is also a serious problem in Africa, where people look for a big man to follow. In return for their allegiance, the big man is expected to care for them. This is the reason why political corruption is so endemic in Africa. When a person gets to a position of power, they are expected to usethat power to care for their family and supporters is normal. This is normal in African society.

The church is growing fast in Africa, but corruption is not retreating. I expect that part of the reason is the church leadership model being taught by Western missionaries. Mega churches have the same ‘big man’ leadership concept, where one person leads and the rest follow. To be part of the solution in Africa, churches will have to find a leadership model that does not depend on a “big man”. African churches should be adopting a shared leadership model that encourages church members to take responsibility for their own life.

Only when the church has adopted a different leadership model will it be able to challenge the ‘big man” concept and the associated corruption that cripples African development.

Tags: Big Man, Leaderhip, Corruption

Bushing the Beast

Andrew Sullivan a neocon political commentor has some interesting comments about the loyalty of Christians to George Bush. He said,

Karl Rove has accelerated the transformation of the Republican Party from a party of limited government and individual liberty to one of Christianist fundamentalism and big government largess.

I find this amazing, but I presume it is true. I thought that Christians believed in limited government and liberty. Where is the Sermon on the Mount when we need it?

Sullivan also said,

The key element that binds Christianism with Bush Republicanism is fealty to patriarchal leadership. That's the institutional structure of the churches that are now the Republican base; and it's only natural that the fundamentalist psyche, which is rooted in obedience and reverence for the inerrant pastor, should be transferred to the presidency.

I am not surprised by this statement. For many years, Christians have submitted to their pastors without question. It is not surprising that they would transfer the same loyalty to a man they believe to be their political leader.

This is a distrubing thought. We live during a time when "state power" is the spirit of the age. Instead of cheering it on, Christians should be leading the charge against it. A few years ago, I wrote the following warning. I believe that it is as relevant now as it was then.

Christians should be leading the battle against the power of the state. Faith in God and providence should have made them impervious to the states promises of cradle to grave security. The Bible repeatedly warns of the dangers of political powers (beasts) that will arise and oppose the purposes of God. The early Christians heeded these warnings and struggled against the "powers that be," whenever they exceeded their authority. In contrast, modern Christians are strangely acquiescent in the face of massive state power. They are often the best cheerleaders for this emerging Beast.

Whereas Jesus and the early disciples followed the example of the OT prophets and were willing to challenge illegitimate state power, the modern church is producing Christians who are trained in compliance. Most new Christians have handed authority over much of their lives to church leaders who tell them what to believe and what to do. They have been taught to blindly submit to that hierarchical authority that controls much of the modern church. Compliant "Yes men" are not well placed to lead the battle against state power.

A Church that treasures liberty under God and encourages faith will be the best antidote against rampant state power. Christians will only be ready to lead the battle against tyranny, when they stop being at home in hierarchy. (Silent Before the Beast).

Tags: Beast, Republican, Bush, Christian, Submission

More on Law

Charles Glass, reviewing several books about militant Islam in the London Review of Books, gives the following description of the views of a well-known Moslem leader.

Men do not make laws, God does. Scholars have the important task of understanding, interpreting and applying God'’s law. Bin Laden does not believe in legislators, because there is nothing to legislate. Law is eternal. It issues in the Sharia. There can be jurists and governors, but not legislators.

If you replace the word "Sharia" with "Torah", this is a good statement of the Christian position. God has given us his law, so we do not need another law.

The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good (Rom 7:12).

God's law is perfect, holy and eternal. Given that we have his law, we do not need human legislators to make laws. The best they can do is produce human laws that are inferior to God's law. We may need people to study God's law and clarify its meaning, but the generally it can be understood by everyone.

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple (Ps 19:7).

Sammy Laden has a clearer understanding of the role of law than most Christians. What a pity that he has confused the deceptions of Mohammed with God's revelation to Moses.

For More on the Law

Tags: Glass, Law

Day of Disappointment

Day of Disapointment is todays news headline about the New Zealand performance at the Aussie games.

Disappointment is etched deep on our culture. The early settlers who came to New Zealand were deeply disappointed. We think New Zealand is a beautiful country, and it is. For settlers, used to the green of England, it was awful. The land was rough, rugged and barren. The work was hard and back breaking, especially for the women. Only their pride stopped them from admitting their mistake and going back. Nevertheless a deep sense of disappointment rested on their spirit.

The disappointment has been handed down through the generations. Many of us have had parents who felt that they did not achieve their full potential and felt disappointed with life. For many Christians, life has not worked out in the way that they hoped and they have transferred this disappointment to God. This disappointment and regret is manifested in our culture in several different ways.

1) Tilting at windmills
New Zealanders try to cover their disappointment by proving themselves in dramatic ways on the world stage. We generally try to do this in aspects of life that are relatively trivial. The best example of this behaviour is our obsession with being world champions at rugby. It does not matter that only 5 countries play the game seriously, or that three of these do not play rugby as their national game. We cover up our disappointment by claiming that we are the best in the world. We carry the same attitude into the Commonwealth Games, where we believe we can punch above our weight.

2)A Critical Spirit
Disappointment is often expressed in intense criticism of any New Zealander who is successful. This is the tall poppy syndrome. Whenever, someone rises to the top, the great Kiwi clobbering machine chops them down to size. The intense criticism of the athletes who fail is an example of this response. In other countries, people celebrate the success of their countrymen.

3) Flogging dead horses
Disappointment combined with pride makes us unwilling to admit our mistakes and change direction. We carry on with dogged determination, even when we are disappointed with our situation or what we have achieved. We will not turn back and seek something better, because we do not want to admit our disappointment. Persistence is an important virtue, but not when we are persisting in second best.

4) Paralysis
Disappointment can also cripple us. Fear of further disappointment can prevent us from taking on new challenges.

5) Self Pity
Disappointment often feeds into self pity. A disappointed person tends to pass the buck for their failures. Rather than taking responsibility for their mistakes, they make excuses and blame others for their troubles.

God can heal disappointment, but the best antidote against it is a solid hope for the future based on the promises and plans of God. The reason that the early settlers were disappointed was that they did not understand God’s purpose for New Zealand. He brought people from Europe to New Zealand, because he wanted them to establish his Kingdom here. The reason that we have still not overcome that disappointment is the same. We have not realised that God wants to establish his Kingdom in New Zealand and export it from here to the rest of the world.

Seeking other goals will result in failure and regret. New Zealand is a good place to build the Kingdom of God. We should seek first the Kingdom of God. Those who seek God’s Kingdom will not be disappointed.

Tags: Disappointment, Kingdom of God

No Nations

When the Kingdom of God comes, nations will disappear. Although we see them as a normal party of life, they have no place in God’s plan. A nation is not created by a common language. Canadians and Americans speak English, but they are not one nation. A common culture does not create a nation. A nation is defined by a common ruler: whether king or parliament. A nation is a group of people that are ruled by the same political ruler. A nation has a common set of laws. The boundary of the nation includes all territory where that law applies.

When the Kingdom of God has come, all people will acknowledge the law of God. His law will be the only law, so kings and parliament will have nothing to do and will cease to exist. If there is no king or parliament, there will be nation. The only boundaries will be between areas were the law of God is acknowledged and nations that still want human laws. Within areas where God is acknowledged their will be no boundaries, because there will be no kings and parliament.

Different localities and communities will have their own judges, but they will be all applying the law of God. Different languages may be spoken in different places and culture will differ from place to place, but their will be no political boundaries, because there will be no political institutions. Christ will be all in all.

The book of Revelation is about the disenfranchisement of kings (and democracies). They will hide under the rocks and in the caves (Rev 6:15-16).

Tags: Nationalism, Democracy, Kingdom of God

Jingo Games

Our television screens are currently dominated by the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. The (British) Commonwealth is the last vestiges of the British Empire that dominated the world during the 19th century.

I find it rather bizzare that a competition between individual athletes is turned into a competition between nations. I suppose that it is better than fighting wars to decide who is best, but why to we need to prove that we are better than other nations.

I also feel sorry for the athletes. They do all the hard training, but their nation takes the some of the credit.

The concept of an individual athlete representing their country is quite odd. An elected politician cannot represent me, so how can an unelected athlete be my representative. If they new how unathletic I am, they would not want to represent me.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek‚… for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:26-28).

If this is true, why would I want to claim that I am an American, or a Canadian, or a New Zealander? If I am passionate about being in Christ Jesus, how can I be passionate about by nation?

I am very wary about cheering my national team. I do not feel comfortable about saying ‚“We won‚” when all I did was sit on a couch and perhaps cheer.

National pride is the thin end of the wedge of nationalism. Nationalism dominated the twentieth century and terrible evils were done in the name of nationalism. I suspect that people who get wrapped up in a national team, will be more open to the militaristic adventures of their nationalist governments.

Nationalism also buttresses state power. When a government politician says, "We have paid for more cataract operations"”, he is using the word "“We"” in the same way as the person sitting on the couch who says, "We won the rugby". Both are taking credit for something to which they contributed nothing.

Tags: Nationalism, Kingdom of God

Prophetic Boldness and Prophetic Sensitivity

A prophet needs enormous boldness to speak God's truth to hostile and powerful people.

A prophet also needs enormous sensitivity, to hear Gods heart and demonstrate his love.

There are plenty of bold people who wade in boots and all,
and plenty of sensitive people who would not say boo to a mouse,
but only a rare few can combine the boldness and the sensitivity
needed to be a prophet to the nation.
Jeremiah was one who did.

Tags: Prophet, Boldness