We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

On Tuesday I tried to provoke a discussion about “rights” as declared in one of our nation’s founding documents.  I believe in a way that I failed.  It seems that we all have a tendency to assign our own definitions to words when it comes to ideology.  And many of us want to go off on tangents that take us to those things that we individually hold dear.  I sometimes get a little frustrated and when I try to clarify it may seem a little harsh.  I do not mean it that way.  I am just trying to get some answers to questions that I have.  I do want your opinions and your participation, even when we do not agree, but I do want to discuss from common ground.

If you have ever discussed theology with one of our Catholic brothers, then you might understand.  As Protestants, most of us shore up our doctrine with the Word of God as proclaimed in the Bible.  But Catholics will quickly let you know that some of their beliefs are not biblically justified but are just as reliable doctrinally due to other things such as church doctrine, Catholic writings, the catechism, and even the words of the pope.  We can’t truly discuss anything with them because of the basic lack of an agreed upon foundation.

The same thing seems to be going on in my previous post.  Being a simple man, and maybe not at the level of intelligence as some of my commenter’s, I tend to read most things as they are written.  I am not trying to apply a certain definition to “rights” or “equal” or “life” or “liberty” or “the pursuit of happiness”.  I simply define them for what they are in light of the context of the words I am reading.  So I will define what I see being said as I go.

We hold these truths (an obvious or accepted fact; truism; platitude) to be self-evident (evident in itself without proof or demonstration; axiomatic.), that all men are created (to cause to happen; bring about; arrange, as by intention or design) equal (Having the same quantity, measure, or value as another.), that they are endowed (provided or supplied or equipped with) by their Creator (God) with certain unalienable (Not to be separated, given away, or taken away) Rights (Something that is due to a person), that among these are Life (the animate existence or period of animate existence of an individual), Liberty (freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control, from external or foreign rule, from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, from captivity, confinement, or physical restraint) and the pursuit (an effort to secure or attain) of Happiness (good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy).

It seems to me that this whole statement shows that the framers of this highly esteemed document did not really know the Creator very well at all.  Before you get angry at me, remember that I am not arguing about what the founding fathers wanted or tried to establish.  It seems they did their very best in a fallen, sin-stained, self-absorbed world to fashion a nation that takes the one thing in the statement above that is true, equality, and makes it almost a reality.  But even that has taken over two centuries.  Just think about why there was recently a historical precedent set when our newest president was inaugurated.

Our rights, especially life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are what we hang on to.  These are the points behind which we stand and declare that we are something special indeed.  It seems that our adversary relied on this same concept in the garden.  Aren’t we as special as God?  As Americans, we surely are.

When I read some of your comments over the last two days I am tempted to give in and agree with some of you.  All these things sound good to me but yet, I do not ever want to see something about God that is not true.  I really almost want to agree about life as a right but even that has to looked at as what it is.  And what is the word I would use instead of rights?  What, exactly, is life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?  I agree these do come from our creator, but they are not rights.  They, like everything else God has given us, are gifts.  Someone used the word privilege and that to me is not quite right either.  Privilege is like an allowance, something given maybe because it is earned or due.  I believe we can become even better soldiers for the Kingdom when we realize everything, all that we have, are “gifts”.

When I read this famous statement and compare it to what I know and what the bible teaches me about God, about the only thing that stands as truth is the part about us all being equal.  But as we know from history, and even the times we live in, equality as a concept still has a long way to go.  Equality is very biblical.  We must start pursuing it like we do happiness.  We must start valuing it as much as we do our liberty.  We must start seeing it as being as important as life itself.

I, personally, do not think we have any rights, anything that I am owed just for existing, from God.  I instead thank Him for the gift of life, for the liberty I have in Christ, and in the place of happiness, for the sheer joy I have in being one of His.

My Declaration of Independence from the kingdoms of the world begins with…

I hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and for a loving relationship with God and each other, that we are blessed by our Creator with more Gifts than we can imagine, and that among these are Life and  Liberty in Christ and Happiness and Joy by pursuing the Kingdom of God.

I thank God for these Gifts.

Love you all

I love to read.  I don’t remember exactly how old I was when I first started reading books on my own, just because I wanted to, but I was about eleven or twelve, I think.  I remember back in the 70′s getting lost in the adventures of The Three Investigators.  While other kids who read were following the mysteries of The Hardy Boys, I found that I was more interested in this series because of the supernatural element.

I moved on to other mysteries and detective stories like Ellery Queen and Sherlock Holmes and then my Dad introduced me to Edgar Rice Burroughs.  He was the creator of Tarzan of the Apes and many other larger than life characters that operated in many fantastical, magical, fantasy filled worlds that I found more fascinating than my earlier times helping to solve mysteries.

As time went on I read many genres; westerns, fantasy, science fiction, adventure, action, suspense, horror and of course many of the classics.  From comic books to extensive collections of adventure series, I always had something to read.  I was a quiet, shy, introverted kid that found the most enjoyment while alone with a book.  I had a vivid imagination and could get lost in the worlds of many of the stories that I read.

This has carried over into my adulthood.  I still read a lot but my focus since I was born again almost seven years ago has been on all things theological.  I have focused mainly on anything that helps me to do my work for the Kingdom.  I still have many works of fiction that I intended to read before I got saved that have been placed on the back burner.

I used to read fiction, I believe, to escape this world; this world that I really did not find much joy in.  My atheism and my dislike of people in general didn’t help me in this.  The wonderful and mysterious worlds of fiction kept me engaged on a level that allowed me to find some joy at least.

The introduction to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom has changed me.  I find joy in this world and relationships now because of the changes He has made in me and because of the importance of the work I need to do for Him.  And the investigation into the mystery of God and who He is, is satisfying in and of itself.

Yesterday afternoon I read a work of fiction again.  I read The Shack.  I know that I am a little behind the times on this one and almost did not write about it but I believe I should.  I originally did not want to read this book.  The hype surrounding it actually turned me off to it.  All the highly touted books in the realm of Christianity since I got saved have let me down.

The Purpose Driven Life is more about us than Christ.  The Prayer of Jabez was a misplaced idea about incorporating something that someone else prayed for in a certain context for the enrichment of ourselves,  again.  And I don’t really believe I need to say anything about Your Best Life Now, the title says it all.

Most everyone was saying how life changing The Shack was while the fundamentalist crowd has critiqued every word for theological error.  I read a little about it and figured that I would probably just look for the error in it also.  But yesterday, while sitting alone feeling pretty lousy from this flu or cold or whatever I have, I decided to give it a try.

I read it in three hours.

It surprised me.  It was fascinating and wonderful.  I t was an amazing view of a God that loves us and wants nothing more really, than a dynamic relationship with us; and our trust.
It will probably upset some with the authors liberties in the portrayal of God but I found it rich and authentic.  The relationship of the Trinity went a long way in helping me to possibly understand a difficult concept better.

The idea of a God that reaches out to His hurting children did not quite fit the reformed concept of foreknowledge that was there but that did not bother me.  That, I believe, was the power of the story.  If you allow yourself to lose any critical attitude and immerse yourself in the story, you will get something wonderful from it.

The story and the concepts of God in it fit so well with my growing ideas about who God is.  The relational aspects of our walk with God are just now starting to come to the front of my own and others theological thought.  Emerging churches, missional movements, open theism; all of these have at their core the concept of a loving God who wants us in a rich relationship with Him and each other.  This was a major theme I saw in The Shack.

The portrayal of the trinity as truly one God is exactly what I believe also.  We tend to treat God as three separate gods in our attitudes and speech, but I have always made it a point to see the God of the Old Testament, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit that is here with us now as the same being.  They all share in this relationship and in all the pain and suffering with us.

The last concept put out in the book, the necessity of forgiveness was, in my opinion not expanded as much as I would like, but it was a powerful part of the story.  Forgiveness is one of the major steps to finding peace in this world.

The author made it a point in some interviews that this is a work of fiction.  He is not trying to put out a commentary or textbook about theology.  Take it as that and you will find it enjoyable.  Life changing, I don’t know, but a valuable work to place into your mind for the enrichment of your spirit, I believe it is that.

Read it, enjoy it, but have some tissues nearby.

Love you all.

After thinking about my friendships I started to realize some things about diversity.  Having different ideologies and viewpoints about things can be very enlightening and can even be unifying if approached the right way.  People hold a variety of views about any given topic but when the proper dialogue is established a lot of good can be achieved by this very diversity.

Diversity, more often than not, is used by our enemy to divide us.  It doesn’t have to and shouldn’t.  God created mankind to be different and unique from each other.  Ultimately I believe we can come to a lot of the same conclusions and that there is only one Truth, but there are almost as many ways to arrive at that Truth as there are people.  Jesus is that Truth in case anyone thought I might be headed down a Universalist path.

Jesus said that “It is impossible but that offences will come…” [Luke 17:1]  The word used for offenses in some versions of the Bible is translated as temptations for sin, causes for trouble, trials and temptations, stumbling blocks and others, but they all are trying to tell us the same thing.  The Greek word used here is skandalon and means all of the above plus it could be translated as a snare or a trap.  The enemy just loves to trap us, snare us, and cause us to fall from being offended.  Arguing about and from our differences is a key way he divides us.  And Jesus said in was inevitable.

I believe if we could learn to give the other side a chance, or a hearing, we would not be so easily ensnared by offense.  As I travel further and further down the narrow path I am finding it easier and easier to slough off the inevitable offenses that come. 

Why does a differing viewpoint scare us so much?  Could it be that we are not that sure of our own beliefs?  Do our arguments stem from our fear of being wrong?

As I said in my last post, I am thankful for the friendships God has given me.  But it is fascinating to me that the most rewarding come from those I have the most disagreements with.  But when we can talk and discuss things, and keep on loving each other while disagreeing, we can grow.  Our growth might be in a direction that takes us out of some wrong belief on our part or it might be more fully into a conviction that the discussion actually confirms. 

Whatever direction we end up taking we can become even closer to each other when we are not just trying to make everyone look like ourselves.  I don’t know about you but I don’t know if I could get along with another me.  

The body of Christ is made up of many distinct parts and people.  No two of us are alike and yet we can work, love and fight the enemy together because we are different.  Each of us has a role and a mission.  It is unique and God wants to use you where you are and in a way that can only be accomplished by you, with the gifts that you have been given.  If I attempt to make you into me I am actually trying to defeat Gods plan. 

Our uniqueness brings into existence the diversity needed to accomplish the mission God has for us.  That diversity allows for the unity necessary to create the body of Christ.  He is the head of that body and if we allow, is the one who directs all the diverse parts.

Celebrate your uniqueness and let God use it to unify and direct us instead of allowing the enemy to continue the deception that we should all be the same.  My left arm and hand cannot be used by me for the same things as my right.  But I would not want to lose them or walk around with two right arms. 

Let’s just learn to be who God wants us to be and find a way to be unified in love instead of separated by our differences.

Love you all

I served this nation for five years in the US Army.  Thankfully, it was during a time of peace.  The mission of a peacetime army was to be properly equipped, trained, and ready to defend this nation.  This is what combat readiness meant. 

As a soldier you got used to inspections.  They happened quite frequently in artillery units, which is what I was stationed in.  Inspections were sometimes announced, so we could prepare.  Most of the time they were not.  We really hated surprise inspections.  No matter how many there were, the hatred of them never dissipated. 

But these inspections were designed and executed, to teach discipline, and to determine our state of combat readiness.  If a soldier had a torn gas mask, worn out socks, and only one pair of boots; he was not combat ready.  A torn gas mask would not only allow you to get killed, but it could put a whole platoon at risk because everyone depended on each other. 

Another aspect of combat readiness was training.  This training consisted of the proper use and maintenance of our weaponry, our military tactics and strategy, and the tactics and strategy of our enemy.  As these things changed on the enemy’s side we had to respond with effective change ourselves. 

I have written about the spiritual warfare we are all in and the tactics of our enemy here and here.  In this post I want to take up the task of putting forth some ideas for change, in the area of our own tactical response.  As I have been discussing, our enemy is constantly changing tactics, and I have used as examples seven areas I believe he is currently working in.  Here is the first of them again, but with my thoughts as to how we may be able to defeat him.  

Acceptance.  As I said, we all want to be accepted.  Pentecostals were not accepted in the beginning but now we go out of our way to explain away some of our gifting to the world.  Just so we will not be looked at as too weird.  Other denominations attempt to be accepted in their own ways also.  Just look at what we sometimes call seeker sensitive churches.

These churches proclaim themselves to be beacons of light for the lost.  Safe havens where no one will ever be judged.  Cool, and in touch with the culture.  Jesus loved the sinner and we have to also.  And all of this would be fine, if it was about the sinner. 

Jesus did reach out and go out of His way to reach that lost soul.  And He did it for them.   So, while I sympathize with the thought behind these types of churches, I have to ask, is it about the lost being accepted into our Kingdom, or is it about the church wanting to be accepted into the ungodly kingdom of this earth.

Just ask yourself who we want to be accepted by.  The world would seem to be the answer.  When a nationally recognized pastor gets on a TV interview and says he does not preach about abortion because it is a “political issue”, I have to ask, when did that happen?  Since man is so divided on the issue, is God confused also.  It seems, according to His word, at one time He was against the murder of innocent children.   

Do we really want to do as God says, or man?

This brings me to a couple of questions I have about about this concept of acceptance. Do you think the Pentecostals are concerned with Baptists accepting them?  What about Methodists and Catholics? How many times have you heard a Calvinist call an Armenian a brother?  We want acceptance from the world but not our own family.   Within the family of God the names called are usually heretic, apostate, miscreant, unbeliever.

Where is the concern we have for what the other denominational brothers think of us?

Jesus said the world hates us because we are like Him (Joh 17:14) and for His names sake.  (Luk 21:17)  Yet He said that we owe each other, those other adopted family members we have, love.  (Rom 13:8)

The world will never really accept us.  They may pretend, but if we are who we are supposed to be, they have, I repeat, they have, to hate us. 

So our new strategy has to be, to do everything possible to become who we are supposed to be, to start accepting our adopted brothers and sisters of faith instead of the world, and to once again declare our allegiance to our King and His kingdom only.

So I ask…Who loves ya baby?  For Christ’s sake and our own, it better be Jesus and the other denomination down the street.

Who loves ya baby?  I do.

Love you all