I’ve attend a number of
churches and listened to pastors whose message is vague, cryptic and poorly
sourced. These preachers seem unaware that they open the door for Satan when their
message fails to be understood. Jesus explained the Parable of the Sower to his
disciples and referring to seed sown along the path he said, “When anyone hears
the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes
and snatches away what was sown in his heart.” (Matt 13:19a NIV).
The Christian Ear is a forum for discussing and listening to the voice of today's church. The Lord spoke to churches,“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Rev 2&3
July 31, 2017
July 28, 2017
Crumbs
The Gospel was first meant
for the Jews, but a Canaanite woman came to Jesus asking him to heal her
daughter. “The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and
toss it to their dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but
even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” It
occurs to me that before each of us developed ears to hear the Gospel we too
benefited from the crumbs that fell from the table of the righteous. Likewise, as
we are now entrusted with the Gospel, we too are leaving crumbs of righteousness
for others to consume. Jesus answered the woman, Then Jesus
answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her
daughter was healed from that very hour” (Matt 15:25-28 NIV).
July 27, 2017
Never Forgiven
According to my NIV Study Bible an example of blasphemy against
the Holy Spirit was when, “…the teachers of the law attributed Jesus’ healing
to Satan’s power rather than to the Holy Spirit.” Jesus said, “I tell you the
truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be
forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin” (Mark 328-29 NIV). I’m
wondering what blasphemy against the Holy Spirit looks like today and if we are
even cognizant of that sin. Giving credit for the Spirit’s healing power to
man-made gods, luck or astrology might well border on blasphemy of the Spirit.
July 26, 2017
No Comment
The rumor mill in town is
reporting on a sexual harassment situation lodged against a community leader. Numerous
people saw the incident, which took place at a concert where alcohol flowed
freely, but witnesses closed ranks protecting the victim, the perpetrator and
themselves. Wearing my reporter hat I tracked down multiple leads who verified
the rumors; however, the verifications came with a price…they were off the
record and official the response was, “No Comment.” Many of us, particularly as
it applies to believers, underestimate the burden of silence. The psalmist wrote, “When I kept silent, my
bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and
night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of
summer” (Psalm 32:3-4 NIV).
July 25, 2017
Running With the Bulls
Driving home from Denver a
contingent of about 30 Porsches merged onto the four lane highway for a road
rally. I admired the cars, which were evenly spaced and driving the speed
limit; however, I was soon in a quandary. By Colorado law you’re supposed to
drive in the right lane unless you are passing another vehicle. Occasionally I
squeezed into the Porsche conga line, but I was completely out of place and the
sports car drivers behind me were determined to pass me in order get back into
formation. It took me about 20 miles to figure out that I didn’t need to be a
Porsche to drive like one. In the Parable of the Shrewd Manager Jesus said, “The
master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the
people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are
the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain
friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into
eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:8-9 NIV).
July 24, 2017
Warning
My adult kids live in a subdivision
that borders open space trimmed with a bike path. During a recent visit I took
Charlie the grand-dog for a walk and as we approached the prairie dog colony the
sentinels sounded the alarm. A magpie perched on the large power line running parallel
to the path screeched a warning to his compadres. One six-foot-high wooden
fence did nothing to deter the German Shepherd and Pomeranian duo from alerting
the neighborhood as we passed by. Similar to Paul reminding the Corinthians of
the warnings from Israel’s history, we believers have a responsibility to warn
one another, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down
as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come” (1 Cor 10:11 NIV).
July 21, 2017
Eye Contact
As Peter denied Jesus for the
third time, “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter
remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows
today, you will disown me three times.” I can’t begin to imagine
the eye contact between the two, but it gives me pause to know that when I
stand before the Lord He will look straight at me also. No doubt my response will be similar to Peter's, “And he went outside and wept bitterly” (Luke
22:61,62 NIV).
July 20, 2017
Jealous
James cautions believers that
friendship with the world is hatred toward God. While most of us know that in
our mind, I’m not sure we understand it on an emotional heartfelt level. James
said, “Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused
to live in us envies intensely” (James 4:5 NIV)? God is a jealous God (Ex
20:5), so it stands to reason that his Spirit within us is also jealous. We
pray to God to feel the Spirit’s love, peace and joy, but I doubt any of us
have prayed to feel his jealousy.
July 19, 2017
An Unknown God
I know a few people who
describe themselves as spiritual, intimating that they know God, yet they are
so inclusive that any belief system is acceptable to them. They claim to know
God, but their actions deny Him. I see very little difference in these folks
than the Athenians of Paul’s day. “Paul then stood up in the meeting of the
Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very
religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at
your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to
an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to
proclaim to you” (Acts 17:22-23 NIV). I suspect that even in today’s church God
remains unknown to some.
July 18, 2017
In Season
During some church visits I
get the distinct feeling that a few pastors feel I’m there to judge them,
rather than to write an article about the worship service. Recently I was
greeted by the pastor prior to the service and when he publicly welcomed visitors
he introduced me to the congregation joking, “I think she is here to critique
this old boy!” The pastor exuded confidence and preparedness that reminded me of
Paul’s charge to Timothy, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season
and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and
careful instruction” (2 Tim 4:2 NIV).
July 17, 2017
Teaching With Authority
The pastor had us open our Bible and read along as he read one
verse of Scripture, which was the foundation for the sermon. He then kicked the
sermon into full gear and fired off no less than two dozen other passages of
Scripture in rapid succession without hardly taking a breath. I was reminded of
the crowds who went up on the mountain side to hear Jesus and his subparagraph sermon
text included Salt and Light; The Fulfillment of the Law; Murder; Adultery;
Divorce; Oaths; An Eye for an Eye; Love Your Enemies; Giving to the Needy;
Prayer; Treasures in Heaven; Do Not Worry; Judging Others; Ask, Seek, Knock;
The Narrow and Wide Gates; A Tree and Its Fruit; and The Wise and the Foolish
Builders. “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed
at his teaching, because he taught as one who had
authority, and not as their teachers of the law” (Matthew 7:28-29 NIV).
July 14, 2017
Spectators
In prison Paul was torn
between his desire to depart and be with Christ, but the necessity of continuing
to live in his body and have fruitful labor on earth, “For to me, to live is
Christ and to die is gain.” (Phil 1:21). I’m trying to imagine someone of Paul’s
character coming to the point of death yet feeling they still had kingdom work
to do. In essence being pulled out of the race and forced to become a
spectator. The writer of Hebrews said, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by
such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and
the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race
marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author
and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross,
scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:1-2 NIV). I suspect that many of us, especially as we age,
fix our eyes on the Lord to take us home, rather than to keep us in the race.
July 13, 2017
Reconnecting
I was warmly greeted by the
members of a small church; however, as I waited for the services to start it
was the instrumental medley played on the piano that truly welcomed me and made
me feel that I’d come home to the church of my youth. As each selection was
played the words to the familiar songs flooded not only my mind, but my heart
as well. “Just a Closer Walk With Thee,” “Morning Has Broken,” “This is My
Father’s World,” and “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” The psalmist, who seems to
understand the yearning many of us have to reconnect with spiritual and
emotional past, wrote, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart
and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Psalm 84:1-2 NIV).
July 12, 2017
Zeal For God’s House
Prior to the start of
worship, a man welcomed me and with pride said, “We love our pastor!”
He paused and added, “And we love each other too.” Following the service, I was
getting into my car when an older gent came up to the door and wanted to talk
with me. He said, “We’re a family here. I’ve been to every d*** church in this
area and this is the best one. Three-years-ago I came for the first time and I haven’t
missed a Sunday since!” Mentally I laughed because the old-timer was completely
unaware of how easily the swear word rolled off his tongue. Obviously there are
many different ways to express zeal for a house of worship. Jesus cleansed the
temple of the moneychangers, “To those who sold doves he said, “Get these
out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” His
disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me”
(John 2:16-17 NIV).
July 11, 2017
Sowing the Word
Generally speaking pastors
preach to their immediate audience, which for the average church in America
today is about 75 people. It occurs to me that pastors fail to give consideration
to the secondary audience that will hear their message when it is retold. When
I write articles about the churches I visit I listen carefully to capture good
quotes from the sermon so that I can pass them on to readers. Once published in
the online newspaper the pastor’s words have the potential to reach over 10,000
subscribers. It’s easy to underestimate the nuances of sowing the Word of God. Paul
recorded, “When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of
the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. The
word of the Lord spread through the whole region” (Acts 13:48-49 NIV).
July 10, 2017
Missed Opportunity
Our local print newspaper has
invited pastors to take turns being a guest columnist each week. A couple of
the columns have had powerful messages and a few of them proved thought provoking.
However, some of the columns have had the consistency of a Twinkie — full of
sugar and fluff. The newspaper circulation is about 4,000 and while not every
subscriber will read the preacher’s column, every column is an opportunity to spread
the gospel to a new audience. Too often we forget the example of growth in the
early church, “But the word of God continued to increase and spread” (Acts
12:24 NIV).
July 07, 2017
Class Dismissed
I attended a Mennonite church
and after the corporate Sunday School gathering in the auditorium the speaker
dismissed the group in an orderly fashion — first preschoolers, then primary
children, followed by juniors. I laughed to myself when the next class to be
dismissed was the women. It occurs to me that this denomination, by allowing
the women to have their own discussion class, has found a way to work within the
confines of Paul’s instructions for the church of his time period, “For God is
not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the
saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They
are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says” (1 Cor 14:33-34).
July 06, 2017
Deserving
Twenty-two-year-old college
student Otto Warmbier, who was held for 18 months by the North Koreans, was
returned to the US in a coma and passed away. In a Facebook post Kathy
Dettwyler, University of Delaware adjunct professor, said Otto Warmbier “got
exactly what he deserved.” Certainly it was not Dettwyler place to make a judgment
on the college student and she has since been fired for her comments. The situation
brought to mind the thief on the cross. For believers, confession and self-evaluation
play a role in the Lord’s decision on what we deserve. One criminal said to the
other, “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But
this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember
me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I
tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:41-43 NIV).
July 05, 2017
It Rocks!
Many churches have a traditional
service and a contemporary service. I recently visited the contemporary service
of a liturgical church and most of those in attendance were over 70-plus years-old
and a number had appendages of canes, oxygen tanks and walkers. As I sat in my
pew a woman welcomed me, “We're so glad you are here. You’re going to love the
service. It ROCKS!” In my mind I couldn’t help but laugh. I know what rock means in a charismatic church,
but I wasn’t sure what to expect in liturgical church. The song selections, led
by a five-member praise team, were praise songs, hymns set to a faster beat and
one hymn set to an upbeat tune. While there was no toe-tapping, hand clapping
or hands raised in praise, I have no doubt that by High-Church standards the
service rocked.
July 04, 2017
July 03, 2017
How Great Thou Art
During a recent visit to an
acapella church the 30 people in attendance sang, “How Great Thou Art.” After
the hymn the speaker noted that he had just come from a gathering of 630 people
who sang the same hymn. He said, “A song has the same meaning whether you are in
a crowd, or just with a few people. Our numbers are few, but that doesn’t
hinder the power of God, or our acceptance of how great God is!” The psalmist
wrote, “For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks
belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands
formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us
kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the
people of his pasture, the flock under his care” (Psalm 95:3-7a NIV).
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