Wherever You Go, There You Are

"So, the cross is always ready and waits for you everywhere. You cannot escape it no matter where you run, for wherever you go you are burdened with yourself. Wherever you go, there you are." —Thomas a Kempis, Imitation of Christ, ca. A.D. 1440

What is it that causes us to go to such extravagant lengths to hide. Whether it's our clothes, our speech, the people we spend time with, or the people we avoid, our activities, or the activities we desperately desire but refrain from, we all find ways hide or run. Amazingly, in our attempt to avoid a concentrated view of ourselves, we can hurt so many around us. We create rules and project them upon others. We sin, and rather than face and accept loving disciple from the body of Christ, we change churches. We erase the history files, so that there is no trial left behind. We hide behind acts of service, for surely my fruit will speak for itself. And we lie awake at night, desperate for rest.

Our Lord reserved His harshest criticism for people who made denial into a trademark. The Pharisees specialized in looking good. They managed to preserve their image by defining sin in terms of visible transgressions and then scrupulously adhering to the standards they established. Their source of joy was the respect of others and they found effective means of gaining it. They performed well.

I suspect very few of the Pharisees would have reported a longing to feel good for just ten minutes. These were the together people. They lived in the box they had created. They never seemed to be struggling. They'd found what they were after and were proceeding with confidence. They even looked good. But listen to Jesus' remarks when He spoke to them. They impressed others, but not Him.

BTW... How similar to my life! His criticism is meant for me as well.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dis, and then the outside also will be clean" Matthew 23:25-26

Small wonder He wasn't invited to their parties! Such pretense is hard to keep up. It's hard to be "on" all the time. Many comedians will testify that being funny all the time is impossible, that is, without pharmaceutical help. But once you start the game, it's hard to quit.

But not all of us are good at playing the game. Those whose integrity makes such pretense difficult, sometimes worry over their apparent lack of faith. "Why don't I feel as happy and together as others? Something must be wrong with my spiritual life!" To make matters worse, these people of integrity often appear less mature and their lives less inviting than folks more skilled at denial. And churches tend to reward their members who more convincingly create the illusion of intactness by parading them as examples of what every Christian should be.

Beneath the surface of every one's life, especially the more mature, is an ache that will not go away. It can be ignored, disguised, mislabeled, or submerged by a torrent of activity, but it will not disappear, for good reason. We were designed to enjoy a better world than this. Until that better world comes along, we will groan for what we do not have. An aching soul is evidence of realism, not spiritual immaturity or neurosis.

You can run but you can not hide. Take a risk. Take the conversation on level deeper. This time, don't settle for pleasantries. Share the ache. Loosen the tie and roll up your sleeves. Allow them to see you sweat. And be amazed at the freedom found as the chains of insecurity and oppression drop to the floor.

"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His" 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NASB)

Carl Sagan is a Believer: Every Knee Shall Bow

On December 20, 1996, the eminent Cornell University astronomer, Carl Sagan, made his greatest discovery. Perhaps you remember Dr. Carl Sagan as the host of the acclaimed television series "Cosmos", which extolled and explored the grandeur of the universe. And perhaps you recall the statement he made in 1980, for which he is best known, "The cosmos is all there is, or ever was, or ever will be." According to a CNN news story, Dr. Sagan's "lifelong passion was searching for intelligent life in the cosmos. 'The significance of a finding that there are other beings who share this universe with us would be absolutely phenomenal, it would be an epochal event in human history,' Sagan once said." (1)

I agree with Dr. Sagan wholeheartedly, and on December 20, 1996, Dr. Carl Sagan realized his lifelong dream. On that day, he experienced the revelation of something so far beyond his "cosmos", that he could only utter four words to describe it. Even his staggering intellect could not understand or explain what he was experiencing. It was, perhaps, not the revelation for which he had hoped, but it certainly far exceeded anything he could have possibly imagined. For you see, on December 20, 1996, Dr. Carl Edward Sagan left this world and entered eternity. And at that moment, falling to his knees, he could only confess, "Jesus Christ is Lord".

I do not know what was in Dr. Sagan's heart while he was allowed the privilege of walking on this small planet in God's great physical universe. I do not know what his relationship with God was. I do not know what opportunities he had to embrace the truth, that God had chosen to express inexpressible love for him. And I do not know whether or not, perhaps even in his last hours, he chose to accept that love, despite what he is purported to have said from his hospital bed. (2) What I do know is that we are all eternal beings. What I do know is that he is now a believer. But sadly, his confession may have come too late, "for it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment". (Heb. 9:27) And the judgment is simply this, "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned." (Mark 16:16)

In this life we are given sufficient revelation of the truth, and ample time to accept it. After death, it is too late; for faith is not needed when all is revealed and the truth is self-evident. (Heb. 11:1)

The ultimate truth is this: "that at the name of Jesus very knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:10-11)

The issue is not if you will confess it; the issue is when you will confess it. For surely everyone will. I do not mean to disparage Dr. Sagan, for as I said, I did not know his heart. Only God did, and the final judgment belongs to Him. But let us all take fair warning that this life is short and our time is precious, and that "the Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

Testifying To Truth, our confession is inevitable, but it is far better to confess sooner and inherit the blessings than later and suffer the consequences. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

(1) http://www.cnn.com/US/9612/20/sagan/
(2) http://users.tpg.com.au/users/tps-seti/sagan.html (Under "A Speaker For Earth")

Don't Be Fooled. Truth Revealed: "Mormon Jesus" is not the same as Jesus of our New Testament

Facts versus Truth:
What if I told you there is a presidential candidate that:

• supports prayer in school should be allowed
• supports home-educators
• supports family values
• will veto any bill that would redefine marriage between one man and one woman
• has a pro-life perspective and agenda
• has not been divorced
• attends church regularly

You'd probably state that the religious right, evangelicals have found their man.

Even with all those facts, you'd be deriving a conclusion that is far from the truth.

This issue will continue to heat up over the next year as Mitt Romney gains more political clout, marketplace acceptance and his particular "faith based beliefs" become more spotlighted. Mr. Romney seems like a decent and likable fellow; but we should pray for him that he would come to the Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible for the salvation of his soul. Politics aside, our primary concern for him should be his eternity--not the election.

So what is the issue? It's Mr. Romney's response to Jesus' question offered in Matthew 16:15 "but who do you say that I am?" The answer to that question is essential to understanding one's relationship with God. Either Jesus is who He says He is or He wasn't. This is the Word of God speaking about the Word made flesh (Jesus the Christ) in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His ONLY Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Jesus is God's only Son. This is critical... not just semantics.

Jesus, the ONLY Son of God, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit make up that perfect Trinity that existed before time and made us in Their image.

In any case, as the "spin machine" is at full throttle, so few know almost anything about Mormonism. As a Mormon, sadly, Mr. Romney does not believe the essential truth of the Trinity and Jesus as God's Only Son. Mormonism devalues the role of Jesus by elevating the role of Lucifer making them "spirit brothers". In essence they become equals... but different. Many have compared this to the Chinese philosophy of the Ying and Yang.

From the Mormon perspective...
THE SUBJECT: Are Jesus and Lucifer spirit brothers?
THE MORMON ANSWER: Here are some factual quotes that define Mormon Jesus and Lucifer as spirit brothers:

• Thus it is shown that prior to the placing of man upon the earth, how long before we do not know, Christ and Satan, together with the hosts of the spirit-children of God, existed as intelligent individuals, possessing power and opportunity to hoose the course they would pursue and the leaders whom they would follow and obey (James Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 8)
• The appointment of Jesus to be the Savior of the world was contested by one of the other sons of God. He was called Lucifer, son of the morning. Haughty, ambitious, and covetous of power and glory, this spirit-brother of Jesus desperately tried to become the Savior of mankind (Milton R. Hunter, The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15---this book was "written and published under the direction of the General Priesthood Committee of the Council of the Twelve of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints")

Compare these statements from LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie in his book, Mormon Doctrine:

• The devil...is a spirit son of God who was born in the morning of pre-existence (p. 192)....Christ is the Firstborn, meaning that he was the first Spirit Child born to God the Father in pre-existence (p. 281)....Christ, the Firstborn, was the mightiest of all the spirit children of the Father (p. 590).The June, 1986 edition of the Ensign Magazine, p. 25, the official publication of the LDS Church, had this question, "How can Jesus and Lucifer be spirit brothers when their characters and purposes are so utterly opposed?" The response provided included the following: On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some---especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers....But as the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was Lucifer's older brother.

So anyone denying the reality that Jesus and Lucifer are spirit-brothers is, in the words of the LDS Church, ignorant of latter-day revelations. Or, they are spinning things and hoping they are talking to folks who don't know any better and they can get away with it. That's sadly a possibility.

Of course, we should be quite clear in what our objection to this doctrine is, and what it means. Their doctrine does not include the Trinity; instead their doctrine states that Jesus and Lucifer are spirit-brothers because in Mormonism, we are all spirit-brothers and sisters of them both. We are all spirit offspring of an exalted man from another planet, Elohim.

The objection, then, is that this belief denies the unique and eternal deity of Christ, not that the character of Lucifer is somehow the issue at this point.

So I pose this question... do the "ends" justify the "means"? If we gain presidential support for our "ends" (prayer in school, a pro-life agenda, family first values etc.) are the "means" of supporting and aligning ourselves under a man that denies the Trinity thus justified?

It's a question we can ask ourselves in history as well. As can be referenced in the News with Views article here http://www.newswithviews.com/baldwin/baldwin405.htm we've elected a man twice recently that also needs to address his view of Jesus the Christ as The Way, The Truth and The Life... otherwise he's calling Jesus a liar.

Pastor Chuck Baldwin states:

• George W. Bush was twice elected President of the United States with great assistance from evangelical Christians, who, almost universally, believed he was a born-again believer. Many still hold onto that belief. In fact, evangelical Christians compose the bulk of the ever-shrinking base of support Bush has left. This is due almost exclusively to this belief that Bush is a born-again Christian.
  As a minister of the Gospel for more than three decades, I have witnessed professing Christians do and say just about anything one would associate with unbelief. In fact, nowadays the line dividing believers and unbelievers seems practically nonexistent.
  I've known unbelievers who are far kinder and more compassionate than many professing believers. In fact, professing Christians are sometimes even meaner and more cantankerous than unbelievers. (Don't get me wrong: I've known many unbelievers who were as mean as rattlesnakes, too.)
  Another paradox to me is how so many professing believers (including pastors) seem to lack the spiritual discernment to understand even the simplest principles. This is especially true regarding the principles of freedom and national independence. One would assume that knowledge of the Scriptures, along with the aid of the Holy Spirit, would cause believers to be on the front lines in the defense of these principles. However, many times, unbelievers are the ones fighting for liberty, while believers sit piously and passively on the sidelines. What a shame!
  However, that believers can continue to propound the "Christianity" of George W. Bush takes the cake. One has to hand it to Karl Rove: he thoroughly and masterfully fooled the Religious Right. And he did it with only a little assistance from Bush.
  A few public catch phrases; some prayer breakfasts; a few references to Jesus; some personal meetings; and a few phone calls or personal meetings with big-name evangelicals was all it took to beguile the vast majority of professing believers. Because of this, George W. Bush is now and forever known as "our beloved Christian President."
  Then again, how would our Christian brethren react if someone came into their church and said that "all religions pray to the same God"? I dare say such a statement would be met with the most vehement rejection. Yet, that is exactly what President Bush has said repeatedly. The latest example was just last Friday, October 5, 2007.
  In an interview with Al Arabiya reporter Elie Nakouzi, Bush said, "I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, pray to the same God." Bush has made this same statement throughout his Presidency. The statement obviously reflects a deep-seated belief.
  Of course, George W. Bush is the first President in U.S. history to celebrate Ramadan in the White House. He is also the first President to worship and pray in a Shinto temple.
  Last Friday, World Net Daily quoted Bush as saying, "We are having an Iftaar dinner tonight--I say, 'we'-- it's my wife and I." Bush also said, "This is the seventh one in the seven years I've been the president. It gives me a chance to say 'Ramadan Mubarak.'" Bush is also quoted as saying, "I want American citizens to see me hosting an Iftaar dinner."
  The Iftaar dinner refers to the evening meal for breaking the daily fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan. "Mubarak" means "blessed." So, when Bush says "Ramadan Mubarak" he is saying that Ramadan is blessed (by God), or "blessed Ramadan."
  Advertisement
  I would very much like to see President Bush ask one of his Muslim or Shintoist friends to pray in Jesus' name, or ask them to take Christian communion, or publicly worship the Lord Jesus Christ. You know as well as I do that no Muslim would deny Allah by worshipping Jesus Christ. Yet, our supposed "Christian" President has no qualms about denying Christ in order to worship Allah or pray to Shinto gods.

Believers beware... as we traverse through these next several years... if we stay the course, we will see a continued devaluation of Jesus the Christ of the Bible, and an elevation (through "spiritual correctness") of the Evil One as represented by the false religions of this world. Prepare your children to always be ready to give a defense for the gospel. May they know, proclaim and TESTIFY TO TRUTH in ways we have failed and never dreamed possible.