Bringing it Home

The movie The Neverending Story as an allegory like Pilgrim's Progress

2011-08-19T20:29:00.000-07:00

Morla - Morla represents the wisdom of the world. The great turtle is the center of sorrow, sadness, hopelessness, and despair. All it can say is "I don't care. I don't even care if I care. The truth--the answers you seek--are too far away so don't even try. Now go away." He is called the Ancient One, the wisest being but he has no light. Death and depression surround him.

The Oracles and the Magic Mirror represent the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel!
First is the Law. This is the Oracle that tests a person's "confidence." Read: Faith. The only way you are getting through the trial of Law is if you've got faith in Christ.
Second is the Prophets. The Mirror it says shows you the man you really are inside! What is it the prophets preach? The truth of who we are--mostly depraved (unless God is working in regeneration). In the movie, Atreyu is Bastian. Bastian is Atreyu. He's a believer inside!
Third is the Southern Oracle -- The Gospel. They tell Atreyu exactly what must be done, who exactly must do it, and where to find this person. And do it before it's too late!! It's a little cryptic, aye, as it is so cryptic to say, "Repent, Believe, and have eternal life!" "But what must I do?" we say. It reminds me of the story of Spurgeon's salvation.

Atreyu - Atreyu is like the little pre-King boy David. He's also belief. He puts faith into action like David. He's fighting for faith within Bastian who is being regenerated. If you ever see yourself in the David & Goliath story or saw him in yourself, you understand. He's tenacious and focused. He puts down his weapons in the movie because it's ultimately a spiritual quest. When he battles flesh & blood God gives him a weapon. Otherwise he needs none. With what could he use to fight the Nothing but his faith? Atreyu is replaced by Bastian in the final scene when the boy himself believes. He is the David/Atreyu. He becomes the believer.

Restored Fantasia - This is the new spiritual life of the believer. He came to the point where it was shown that in unbelief he had nothing. In belief in Jesus he had everything.

The Empress - The Empress represents the specific placing of one's faith in Christ. She is sick & weak and the Nothing is strong. It is the boy's unbelief in Christ. It is not because of unbelief. It is. The movie would sound totally hokey if she had to say, "The human child must believe in me." It's too hard to explain, like the concept of believing in Jesus as historical fact vs. trusting in Jesus for salvation. The way the movie depicts this is calling out the name. Read: Calling on the name. Why does it have to be a 'new name' to her? Because it has to be the one he knows... the one he loves... the whisper he has heard through creation all his life... it is ultimately revealed spiritually in the gospel but creation has testified to the name already. The credits call her the childlike Empress. Faith like that of a child.

Falkor - Falkor is providence. He's also the Holy Spirit. Every time he speaks of luck he winks. There is no luck in this universe in the sense of something totally random not in control by God. God uses 'luck' to accomplish His purposes all the time.

The little people - I really have no idea who they are but there might be a clue in that they are like the guy in Pilgrim's Progress, I forget his name, whose house Pilgrim went to pretty early on. He had the telescope (?) with which he watched men fighting their way into a castle.

The Auren - The two serpents are belief and unbelief in a fight to the death. The Bronze Serpent is belief. It is like the one Moses held up in the desert. It is on top, eating the snake of unbelief even though the dark snake also takes a bite.

The Ivory Tower - The home of the Empress is a heavenly place. There is a Trinitarian symbol atop the tower the first time we see it and it forms the base the second time we see it, before it is mostly destroyed.

The Gathered representatives - These are the remnant of every tribe, tongue, and nation from Fantasia. They have come to the Empress (faith in Christ) for perseverance and salvation.

The swamp of sadness - Similar to what Pilgrim passed through near the beginning of Pilgrim's Progress.

The rockbiter - He always thought they were big, strong, hands. The message in the rockbiter is we're only safe & secure in God's hands. He is the only rock. There is no refuge from the Nothing but Him.

Fantasia - It begins as the boy's soul. Torn apart by unbelief. Not really alive and dying totally. The void is overcoming it. He needs to believe.

The Nothing - The Nothing is Unbelief. Without Jesus we have Nothing.

G'Mork - Not Satan himself but a demon who desires to devour faith like his master the devil.

Bastian - You and me. A sinner who needs to not 'keep his feet on the ground' like his earthly father says (bound to this world and its destiny) but to repent and believe in the one and only Jesus Christ. (Acts 4:12)

The city where Bastian lives - Pilgrim's City of Destruction, more or less. Before salvation, it's life in a dumpster. He doesn't leave it physically like Christian does but when he comes back he comes with the Holy Spirit (Falkor).

The bookkeeper - Pilgrim's evangelist. He has the book and really wants the boy to take it. He certainly does not sugarcoat the gospel. He tells him how dangerous and hard and perilous the journey is and leaves the boy to decide. Of course for the heart in this boy that has been prepared the book is absolutely irresistible! The movie says that just like Bastian followed Atreyu it hopes you will follow Bastian and believe.

Vision for a church

2011-07-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

.: Every member in discipleship

Define discipleship for members and non-members. One of the main privileges of membership is personal discipleship overseen by the elders.

Personally disciple every man or oversee their discipleship by fit men. If elders are not established, do this to get the elders.

Discipleship must not be creepy. Must be Christian Hedonistic, to fulfill greater joys!

.: God glorifying Himself

Vision of the church is a place/body where God reaches down to serve / glorify Himself by serving sinful men through joyful redemption & resurrection.

.: Preaching

The preaching must hold Christ forth every week, teach /inform the people, and challenge them on some Biblical application point about God (theology). The pastor must study hard, and reflect often on the gold that is the Word. He must be a relentless-gold-miner, over and over searching through the mines of the 66 books.

.: Music

The music should be decent. It should fit the people and environment and be sing-able. It should not stink. It does not need to be overly elaborate.

.: Pastor

The pastor must literally care for the flock. He must be employed full-time. This is a full-time job only.

My Wife's Facebook Posts

2011-06-17T20:22:00.000-07:00

God owes me nothing.
13 March 2010 at 15:54

Keano Countdown: 9 days to leaving. Some very exciting news though... Keano is getting baptized at Apex on 11 April at 11:30. Some things have come about recently that made his profession of faith much more beautiful and credible.
10 April 2010 at 16:52

"If I had not felt certain that every additional trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my accumulated sufferings." (Adoniram Judson) Five days until our beloved son leaves with no guarentee we will ever see him again. God be mericiful to us!
13 April 2010 at 16:36

Oh how sweet to trust in Jesus and to take him at his word!
14 April 2010 at 16:38 ·

We named both our girls with intention and purpose. Gloria Grace: We were thankful for God's 'glorious grace' to give us a child and call us to Namibia. Faith Makiera: We did realize how much 'faith' God would impart to us for the first year of her life (this past year) and Makiera: sword, in Greek (as in the Word of God). Keano's name we had nothing to do with. It means 'brave warrior.'
15 April 2010 at 20:42

A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;...Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows... (Isaiah 53)
19 April 2010 at 09:56

feeling rather lonely... missing Keano greatly. ...Missing Todd. Life is hard. Gloria singing in the background "My God is so Big! ...So strong and so mighty. There's nothing my God can not do."
20 April 2010 at 17:59

Spoke to Keano today. He said he is struggling with the environment and the harshness of everyone in how they relate. We made him a promise/photo book, full of all our pics, with promises and messages to encourage his heart in difficult times. He said he's been reading it a lot.
28 April 2010 at 16:33

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Mt 6:34
12 May 2010 at 16:15

Felicity Anastasia Hammerstrom was born 5/20/10 @ 11:44am. 8lbs exactly. Her name means 'joy that has been resurrected' OR 'joy in the resurrection' - both of which we have! ...Both Mom and baby doing perfectly. Long labor, but the Lord was there. Thankful for VBAC after 2 c-sections! Praise the living God.
21 May 2010 at 15:45

Gloria: "Mommy, I miss my brother. ...I think he's coming tomorrow."
Wall Photos
13 June 2010 at 21:44

My 4 week old sounds as though she has a whoopie cushion in her diaper
18 June 2010 at 21:09

needs Jesus.
22 June 2010 at 13:02

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy
name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who
forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your
life from destruction. Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender
mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth
is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1-5
08 July 2010 at 17:46

Jesus paid it all... All to Him I owe... Sin had left a crimson stain.... He washed it white as snow.
24 July 2010 at 21:17

I think Faith's vocabulary grew by about 20 words today.
27 July 2010 at 18:21

no longer looks at Christ on the cross as the victim, but rather as the Victor. (Col 1:15). He canceled the debt and made me forever righteous. What can be added to this? There is nothing. No one. Oh, how complete the work of the cross!
01 August 2010 at 14:07

Gloria singing Veggie Tales: "If you like to talk to tomatoes.... If you wash it makes you smile." lol. ...Which is followed by (not so lol) the phrase 'Veggie Tales' over and over and over and over and over and over and over (need I go on?) Yes. ...and over and over and over.... AGAIN!
04 August 2010 at 17:15

Faith just came to me and insisted I take her diaper off and she wear panties. I'm not sure if I'm ready to tackle this!
23 August 2010 at 10:13

Yesterday - Me: You should add him as your fb friend. Todd: I have too many fb friends! Today - Todd: I can't believe he's not my friend! Me: He is your friend - just not your fb friend.
03 September 2010 at 22:05

"What if what you HAD to do, was what you WANTED to do? That is life in the Spirit!" (T.L.) Thanks, my love, I so needed to hear this today. ...Enjoying what we HAVE to do to keep our family rolling in the right direction :) Laundry, Dishes, Dinner, and even you dirty diapers, watch out! Here I come - with JOY.
05 September 2010 at 16:00

"The steadfast love of the Lord never
ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every
morning; great is your faithfulness."
15 September 2010 at 09:26 ·

"Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord." (Song of Solomon 8) Celebrating six years this weekend! I love you forever, Todd Leroy.
24 September 2010 at 12:25 ·

Gloria attempting to instruct Faith = an incredibly frustrated Faith and an even more frustrated Mommy. Most used line as of late "Gloria, I am her Mommy." Gloria - "But can I just pretend to be her mommy?"
30 September 2010 at 11:20

The law (of God) says, 'Do and you shall live; you shall, by performing personal and perfect obedience, entitle yourselves to eternal life.' The gospel says, 'Live, for all is already done; all the righteousness, meritoriousness of eternal life for believers is already fullfilled by the second Adam (Christ!), their adorable Surety.
04 October 2010 at 14:56

Gloria referring to Faith... "Mommy, your fire baby just pushed me. I don't think she knows I'm the princess." Where does she get this stuff?
12 October 2010 at 14:43

"For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." (Rom 8:2)
17 October 2010 at 22:43

'...And even the winds and the seas obey Him.'
26 October 2010 at 13:23

Me (being silly): "Gloria, the tickle bug is coming!" Gloria: "Mom, we better call the exterminator."
27 October 2010 at 11:08

The sovereignty of God only brings peace when you believe that God is good (despite what you may see or experience).
19 November 2010 at 09:26

I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord,
who does all these things. (Isaiah 45:7)
19 November 2010 at 16:15

Forgot how Silly and fun boys are. Last night, Keano stands up, pretends to cock a rifle and then lets out a certain biological function that had us all running from the room and laughing. ...Keano of course was then rolling on the floor with giggles.
07 December 2010 at 08:29

When explaining fb to Keano, I say to him: Keano, whatever you write here will show up to all my friends. Keano: Mom, how many friends do you have? Me: Well on fb, I have 260. Keano: And enemies?
08 December 2010 at 18:51

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Rom 8:15) Slaver vs adoption. Implications are endless.
14 December 2010 at 11:31

Me: Gloria, you need to clean up now please. Gloria: Momma, if I had a cookie first, it would help my energy go up.
17 December 2010 at 20:15

Me: Who tooted? Keano: I can't remember if it was me. Me: Keano, I think it was you. Keano: No, I don't think so. Mine smell nice and fresh like eggs.
21 December 2010 at 22:20

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn 1:14)
24 December 2010 at 21:21

"I hear the Savior say, thy strength indeed is small..... child of weakness, watch and pray. Find in me thine all in all..."
28 December 2010 at 11:52

Me: I'm filling this section out on my blog called 'about me' and I can't think of anything to write. Tell me something about me that isn't like other people. Keano: You're really pretty. Me: Thanks, Keano. ...but other people are really pretty too. Keano: But not like you, Mom. Me: Keano you're too sweet. Keano: Ok, and you're bossy too. Me: That's because I'm your boss.
28 December 2010 at 22:48

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Heb 13:8) Happy 2011!
01 January at 00:59

Keano: Mom, I'm so glad you're not like other old people that have lost their sense of humor. Me: Thanks, Keano. I think.
02 January at 13:58 ·

Gloria got a Beta fish and named it, Abracadabra. Faith wanted to hold it. End of story.
05 January at 10:45

"Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition." (The rare Jewel of Christian Contentment) Learning much. Much more learning still needed.
12 January at 13:35

Jesus conquered the grave.
16 January at 21:29

Keano: "Mom, every day that goes by I'm loosing more and more energy. I need to get into sports asap. The next thing you know I'll be a chubby, little, boy playing video games all day and eating chocolate." Where does he get this stuff??
24 January at 12:01

Dinner conversation.... Keano: Mom, are there still places that have cannibals? Me: I'm not sure. Probably. Keano: Mom, if I were a cannibal, do you know what I would do? .....Be a doctor. Todd: Why? Keano: That way, during surgery, I could just take an extra piece.
01 February at 17:49

Gloria, looking at a penny: Mom, looks it's Daddy on my penny... only with more hair.
15 February at 15:25

Loved(!) last night's sermon application: "If you have trusted Christ with your soul for eternity, then you can trust Him to see you through your current situation." How easy it is to forget this! Thanks, pastor Dan.
21 February at 14:57

"Not the labor of my hands... Can fulfill Thy Laws demands..."
05 March at 18:12

Gloria: Mommy, why do we drive a van? Me: Because we are a big family, and this way we can all ride together. Gloria: Mommy, God has a big family. What kind of car does He drive?
07 March at 12:58

Gloria: Mommy, is there a 'Growed Store?' Me: What? Gloria: Mommy, I'm 4 now and I have 'Growed up.' I need to go to the 'Growed Store' and get some new clothes and shoes.
08 March at 10:03

Keano: Mom, I never want to be brain washed. Me: That's good to hear Keano. Keano: What do they actually use to wash your brain, anyway?
08 March at 14:26 ·

Keano: Daddy, if I catch a frog, can I keep it in my room? Todd: Keano, why don't you get a book from the library about how to care for a frog and then we can talk about it. Keano: Ok. Well, in that case, can I get a book on dogs?
09 March at 22:06

While heading out on a run with T, Keano asked to join us on his bike.... Me: Todd, I think Keano might need some American bike/street training before we get out of the driveway. Keano: Mom, I'm half of an adult now. I'll be fine.
16 March at 09:35

Got another Beta fish for Gloria. Hopefully Faith learned her lesson and wont try to hold this one like she did the last one.
16 March at 17:43

Listening to Keano recite all of Romans 8 by memory.
16 March at 21:37

Me: Gloria, today is St. Patrick's Day. If you don't wear green, then you might get pinched. Gloria: (a bit distraught) But Mommy, this is not a place. It's our home. We don't pinch here.
17 March at 12:07

Keano: Mom, would you buy me a wallet? Me: Keano, I thought you've been saving your money. How much do you have now? Keano: Mom, by the time I spend the money to buy a wallet, I wont have anything to put in it.
19 March at 15:11

Faith (after waking up from a short nap in the car): Mommy, where Keano? Me: Faith, I dropped him at tennis. Faith: Why you drop Keano, Mommy? He get an owie!
23 March at 17:51

"...as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish..." (Ephesians)
25 March at 11:30

While Faith is spending the night with her Auntie Natalie, Gloria says "Mommy, I hope Faith misses me as much as I miss her." Too sweet.
25 March at 21:12

Keano walks into the kitchen and takes a drink out of the cup that I just sat down. Me: Keano, that was my cup. Keano: No, Mom. I think you're just having confusion issues.
26 March at 20:50

Keano: Mom, Faith is doing naughty things. Can you please put her in solitary? Me: Solitary? Keano: Oh, I mean time out.
28 March at 10:19

Keano: Mom, is there such a thing to say you feel 'Over the Weather?' ....Like, you've never felt better?
29 March at 18:37

"Oh to grace how great a debtor, daily I'm constrained to be..."
30 March at 12:47

According to Keano and his cousin, 'Today is like no other day. Two eleven year old boys will be conquering the farm on an extreme adventure.' I think I should be concerned. ;)
04 April at 09:45 ·

Gloria, who was simply horrified at the thought of St. Patrick's day on the day of, just ran in the room and gave me a good pinch. Why? Because I didn't have green on. I don't think she understood that it was only a day.
04 April at 15:16

"He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see?" (Psalm 94:9)
06 April at 11:58

Keano: Mom/Dad, what does 'RO' stand for in Ro Model? Me: (totally not getting it) Huh? Keano: Oh, I know.... It's for 'ROmantic' ....like you're daddy's 'romantic model.' Right?
18 April at 15:13

Gloria: Faithie, we're sissies.... Do you know what that means? I'll always love you. Faith: Oooooohhhh
19 April at 08:50

"Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’?" (Job 38:35)
19 April at 13:35

Keano: Mom, I don't know how anyone in their right mind would ever brag about being a hippy. Me: That sounds a bit extreme, Keano. Mom: What?! Isn't the word 'hippy' short for hypocrite?
20 April at 13:43

Keano (in complete shock): Mom, look at this! What is this thing growing on my face?? Me: That's called a zit. Keano: What?? How did it get there? How do I get it to go away? Me: Well, you should probably wash your face a bit more often. Keano: Why did it come? Me: Well, it's one of the signs your getting older. Keano: Then I don't want to ever wash my face again. I want everyone to see the sign that I'm now older.
20 April at 13:47

"When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride."
22 April at 12:40 ·

Keano: Mom, one thing girlls need to learn about boys.... Boys, they will help you out of their own freedom, but once that girl starts bossing, those boys are OUT of there!
23 April at 10:51

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:55)
24 April at 10:18

Keano: Mom, how do you greet someone if you're not sure if they are a man or a woman? ...Are you suppose to say Ma'am or Sir?
28 April at 17:44 ·

Quote from Pastor Dan: "If pastors who are rejoicing in the justice of God today are consistent, the next time they perform a funeral service for an unbeliever they will stand in the pulpit and faithfully declare, "Justice has been served."
02 May at 17:30

While, I'm IN the room, my sweet OLDEST daughter looks at Faith and says.... "Faith, I'm going to the other room. You're in charge. "
04 May at 12:33

Keano: Mom, did you know Daddy and I were going to go out and play some tennis some time soon? ...I was wondering if you had a good suggestion where. Me: You could go to some courts that have a park nearby and I could play with the girls while you guys hit. Keano: Well, ummmm.... we kinda wanted to go somewhere invisible... like a place where we couldn't be distracted and called.
04 May at 14:22

Gloria found a toad in the yard and named him 'Hoppy.' She's thrilled. Can't say much for Hoppy.
05 May at 15:03

"Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." (Rom 8)
09 May at 13:44

"See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled." (Heb 12:15)
11 May at 14:27

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (Prov 15:1)
14 May at 22:35

Gloria a bit confused: Mom, last night I had a dream. I jumped and could fly way up high in the air. ....but when i try it now, I can't. Somethings wrong.
17 May at 09:57

At bedtime.. Todd: Gloria, I don't have to go to work in the morning. I'll be here and make you your toast for breakfast. Gloria: I've been eating too much toast. I need to eat more healthy things. Todd: Ok, how about some fruit? Gloria: Ummmm... ok, with little pieces of toast cut up on the side.
17 May at 22:26

Gloria: Mommy, can I please grow my hair really big like Rapunzels? Me: Oh yes, Gloria! That sounds lovely. Will you throw it out the window so I can climb up? Gloria: Oh silly Mommy. No, only for Daddy. (nodding head vigorously) He's my prince.
18 May at 10:03

At one point the Dr. asked me what I did for a living. My answer? 'I'm the CEO for a very important company.' Apparently morphine on an empty stomach makes you a tad loupey. Who knew?
20 May at 19:51

Gloria: "Faith, I'm your big sister, and when I grow up, I'm going to be just like Mommy. I'm going to wash dishes and put you in time out."
26 May at 15:20

(And yesterday) Me: Gloria we have to go in the closet because a tornado might be coming. Gloria: What's a tornado? Me: It's very very powerful wind. Gloria: Is it more powerful than God? Me: No, nothing is more powerful than God. He controls the tornadoes. Gloria: Oh, then we don't have to worry, Mommy. We'll be good.
(Glad to see she has such a strong view of the sovereignty and goodness of God.)
26 May at 15:38

Gloria (@ 9:15pm): Mommy, can you please check my eyes? Me: They look just fine, Luvie. Are they hurting? Gloria: No, Mommy. It's just that they keep trying to close and I don't want them too. Somethings wrong.
29 May at 21:26

"One aspect of God's nature that often is ignored when contemplating the atoning work of Christ is His wrath. Some have difficulty with the concept altogether, believing it to be in conflict with God's love. Divine wrath, however, clearly is taught in both the Old and New Testaments....Any inability to reconcile God's love and wrath stems from UNBIBLICAL NOTIONS of morality." (J. Calvin)
30 May at 16:44

I've been explaining to Gloria that while we have the sun in our day, Daddy has the moon and so forth. Tonight she said, "Mommy, can you call Daddy and ask him to keep the moon a little longer? I want to enjoy the day a bit more." Too cute.
30 May at 20:59

Gloria playing on the sun porch with Faith: "So, what are your thoughts?" Faith: "Hmmmmm....."
31 May at 09:29

Gloria: Oh no, Mommy! I just saw a plane and I think my Daddy and Keano were on it, but it was going the wrong way!
03 June at 08:52

Faith: Twinkle, twinkle, little star.... How I wonder, what you had for lunch.
07 June at 11:39

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Cor.)
07 June at 15:10

Absolutely convinced that every issue of the soul has it's solution in the Gospel.
10 June at 14:54

I love it when my little Faith (2) says over the most simplest of things, "Wow! It's amazing."
13 June at 10:01

Me: Keano, who is on the phone? Keano: (in a rushed and hushed tone) I don't know, Mom, but it's important. He said if I answer these two questions I get a prize! (Introduce, American sales calls)
13 June at 18:12

Faith: Mommy, I want you to go to the store and buy me my school work. (Home school envy??)
13 June at 20:48

Keano: Mom, can we give the rest of this cheesecake to the workers? We don't need the calories. (Hey now, speak for yourself. ...even if you are right!)
Tuesday at 17:07

Keano: "Being a big brother is tough. Sisters demand a lot of attention... and mine came in a set of three."
Wednesday at 11:14

In a time span of about 2 minutes, Gloria came and 'told' me about 5 different things... Me: Gloria, I'm not so concerned about that right now, but I am a bit concerned about what you are doing. You are tattling. Gloria: Mommy, I'm not tattling. I was just STANDING by the drum in the other room.
Wednesday at 14:16

"Elect from every nation, yet one o'er all the earth; her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth; one holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued." (The Church's One Foundation)
Yesterday at 13:46

Gloria: Mommy, I have to tell you something... When the bright sun rises, that rooster cock-a-doodle-dos and wakes me up so early.
11 hours ago

2011 Breakthrough #2

2011-01-07T17:49:00.000-08:00

I have solved a huge theological mystery. I have solved the mystery of how the Holy Spirit interacted differently with believers in the Old Testament vs. the New Testament.

Up to this point I have wrestled with this, read on this, and come to some various conclusions (for years).

These conclusions include: OT believers were regenerated the same as NT believers. OT believers did not have the same kind of indwelling of the Holy Spirit we have. NT believers have the Holy Spirit in a new and better way. The Holy Spirit had a physical temple vs. in the NT we are temples, part of the larger Temple of Christ. But that didn't explain why He would come on or upon various OT saints, seem to be there and then leave. Anyway, it all basically came down to "its different but I don't know why."

Today I figured it out. I was studying God hiding His face from people in the OT. Did you know Ezekiel 39:29 prophesies this practice would cease? I believe the last time God hid His face from any of His children is when He did it to Christ on the cross when He died for our sins, (having none of His own). Anyway, the hiding of the face was a regular consequence of living under the Mosaic Covenant.

Search the ESV for hide face and you will see.

You will also see what I found. The presence of the Holy Spirit in and with the believer was also subject to the consequences of the Mosaic Covenant. Why would the Holy Spirit seem to come and go? Because He did. Because of sin and its consequences under the Old Law. The curse and consequences have been removed. We are not under Law but under grace, not under that covenant but we have a new one.

The priesthood and the temple of that time could not administer the Holy Spirit to anyone consistently. Christ ascended to take His position as High Priest for us and He does this infallibly.

People were saved in OT times under the promise of the Abrahamic Covenant looking ahead. But Christ's priesthood was not a part of the Abrahamic Covenant. It was part of the Butterfly waiting to emerge. Thus, and also, the consistent indwelling of the Holy Spirit was not a part of the Abrahamic Covenant, like it is in the New.

Make sense?

2011 Breakthrough #1

2011-01-07T17:43:00.001-08:00

I've been relishing our freedom from the old man, old law, and old covenant since 2007. Studying it, going deeper in it, preaching & teaching it.

Just this week I realized something monumental which is key to moving forward.

So I was preparing to preach and use Hebrews 8:8-12. Then it occurred to me. Since the key to righteous living is the law written in our mind and on our hearts, we should pray for that law to be lived out. I've reoriented myself toward Christ, not Moses, new law not old law, but never so consciously and directly directed myself inward to that law to reflect on and live out.

To train myself I read Psalm 119 again. It makes so much sense in light of the New Covenant. That delighting in and loving of the Law is the OC way of getting that effect of it being written on the heart. By it, I mean the content of the Law of Christ (coincidentally pretty much all of what is called the moral law minus the 4th commandment), the laws of God that are universal for all peoples and times.

God, help me to love Your law which You have written within. Make it flow out of me in my actions.

Be careful, all, in your pursuit to orient against OC law that you do not orient against law altogether. There is a new law of the Spirit of Life. Look within at what God has done.

Back to Blogging

2011-01-07T17:42:00.001-08:00

Why in the world did I call this blog "Bringing it Home?"

I don't know or remember.

Anyway, a couple of huge theological breakthroughs this week I must share. (with no one because no one else knows this exists yet).

Pick Six Question Number Five

2010-10-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

5. (Love) Is it possible to decide to love someone and then to act on that decision, or does love between human beings simply depend on spontaneous emotional feelings? In what ways could you imitate God's love specifically today?

Interesting false dichotomy setup by the first question. It does not seem to jive with the definition of love in the chapter. In relation to God, "God's love means that God eternally gives of Himself to others." God's glory demands / God chooses to glorify Himself in this way. It flows from His self-existent nature. "God is love." (1 Jn. 4:8)

I think what we can gather from the Love of God is that it is planned and thoughout, it is intentional not just general, it is committed and eternal. But that is so far different than something I simply decide and do.

The fact is that true love is harmed when it is forced, when it is duty, when we do lose that 'feeling'. This is the crux: We do not fall out of love--what we fall out of is repentance. What sin or idolatry has prevented me from loving God or loving the person I ought to and know deep down I want to love? Why don't I feel it any more? Of course love comes with feeling. Do not forget, "whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that He rewards those who seek Him." (Heb. 11:6) Of course what God rewards those who seek Him with is Himself. There has to be some delight or desire in what is sought.

True love is tested by repentance. Has a repentance from things that do not please God, led you to love something good and right? Or is the spontaneous feeling of love you have going to be something you need to repent from later? In other words, is it clear that true love for anything we should desire or do should line up with God's love and desire.

God's command to love our neighbors as ourselves is similar to the command to love Him because in doing that service, we receive His satisfaction and reward experientially. It is Him we seek in all we do, whether eating or drinking or laying down our life for another. That's what we need to be mindful of. He seeks His glory. We seek His glory. He and we do it because we enjoy it. We love it.

When we don't feel it--when it comes and goes--there's only one answer, seek Him. We might just change the mode of our seeking, but we never change the fountain. I don't mean to drag this on but this is how it seemed to work for me on a daily basis in Namibia. I'd wake up early with my son, take him to school, go to the church building office, pray, study, prepare, read, and by noon to 1pm, I was itching to go out. I couldn't take it any longer. I had to go speak to others and serve them by giving them the Gospel. (I did other service/love things too, but preaching and teaching the Word was primary.)

Pick Six Question Number Four

2010-10-30T18:36:00.000-07:00

4. (Truthfulness) Why are people in our society, sometimes even Christians, quite careless with regard to truthfulness in speech? Do you need to ask God's help to more fully reflect His truthfulness in speech in any of the following areas: promising to pray for someone; saying that you will be some place at a certain time; exaggerating events in order to make a more exciting story; taking care to remember and then be faithful to what you have said in business commitments; reporting what other people have said or what you think someone else is thinking; fairly representing your opponent's viewpoint in an argument?

Why are people careless with the truth? So, we're not even going to ask if they are careless or not? Yeah, probably fair enough to assume it and ask why. People are careless with the truth because it suits them. 'The ends justify the means.' If it helps you out in the moment, the current situation, to lie, to cheat, to leave out facts, to add questionable details, to twist someone's words, or insert your opinion into a factual story... people do it. Sometimes Christians? How many celebrity level Christians have been caught doing this? I'd hate to see those statistics.

We are born speaking lies. I have 4 children. The youngest is too young to speak, but she's already faking a wet diaper and other ailments to get attention. Of course I'm missing my oldest right now, but the 3 year old girl will often lie outright when she thinks Mom and I don't know the truth.

We often catch ourselves in stupid lies--'why did I just lie about that?' We do it for no reason. We do it to protect ourselve (fear) and to make ourselves look better (fear/pride).

A Christian, growing in this communicable attribute, should become progressively more truthful AND more sorrowful when the truth is not what he/she speaks.

We should also strive for accuracy in our words. The list of 7 things in the second part of the question are all personal pet peeves I have. Don't do them. They're annoying. They don't reflect the character and nature of The Lord.

There's only one of the seven that sticks out to me, because I intentionally avoid it for the reason implied here. I know I won't pray for most people I would promise if I a person who does that habitually, so if I say I will, I'm going to try real hard and probably do it. The chapter on prayer is coming up in about 5 weeks :)

Pick Six Question Number Three

2010-10-30T18:23:00.001-07:00

3. (Wisdom) Do you really believe that God is working wisely in your life today? In the world? If you find this difficult to believe at times, what might you do to change your attitude.

I gotta tell you, my answer about God's knowledge would have been radically different if I did not already know about God's wisdom. Knowledge without wisdom is dangerous. Knowledge without wisdom is often useless. God's wisdom means that God's infinite knowledge is perfectly applied in every stituation in eternity.

It is important to have a good grasp of world history to see God's wisdom working in the world. The Bible is a great place to get a good grasp of how His story is unfolding. In the Bible you see the rise and fall of great empires and nations. Rulers and conquerors, glory, decay and defeat. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome... the Biblical story ends there but you can extrapolate that history out to the rest of world history. It's still going on today.

Another good thing to grasp is the history of Christian evangelism, from Jerusalem out, mostly to the west of Jerusalem, around the world. Did you know most Christians today are not white Americans? Stunning, I know. Actually, with each passing month and year, less people are suprised at this, but still few know that more missionaries per capita are sent out in other nations besides the one I am living in now.

When I struggle with the wisdom of God, honestly, it's almost always in the little tiny small stuff, like I forgot directions to some place and lost 5 or 10 minutes getting there. God's in control of that... but I am in sinful and in 'weak' flesh, weak in the sense that you want it to remember and do good... So I change my attitude by reciting Romans 8:18-28 in my mind. Sometimes I have days that seem extra "subjected to futility" and I need to remind myself that God has a much greater destiny in store. Both the futility and the glorious freedom to come reflect the glory of His wisdom.

Pick Six Question Number Two

2010-10-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

2. (Knowledge) With regard to the circumstances of your life, will God ever make a mistake, or fail to plan ahead, or fail to take into account all the eventualities that occur? How is the answer to this question a blessing your life?

Wow. No. God will never make a mistake. He never fails to 'plan' ahead. He takes into account all eventualities (?) causes and effects and places where He intersects the natural flows of events.

God knows everything in one eternal act. He does not learn. He knows all possibilities and where He interacts with His creation and 'changes' things, it is planned from eterntiy, knowing all alternatives, and all paths. He has chosen the best of all possible worlds for His creation to accomplish His end, which is the eternal and ultimate display of His glory.

This is, first of all, befuddling. I make mistakes constantly. I regret. I wonder why things happen the way they do. I know so clearly sometimes that God intersects directly and guides us through His word, through a special knowledge, and through circumstances. I know that a constant knowing or guidance is not His will for our lives and that it is not dependent on works.

Second of all, yes, it is a blessing. I can see that the clever questioner assumed it would be. How? Well, it lets me know that while I make mistakes and do things for wrong reasons, when regret comes I can readily give it to Christ. I, a man, have not interfered with God's ultimate plan, but He subsumes everything I do, humbles me, and always accomplishes His purposes to the best end. He is in every detail--it's not as if He isn't--but He's also so zoomed out He can see what is coming at the end of this life, and in eternity. It's not about being perfect, but wow, how great it is to know God and know His blessing when living His life than it is to know that fleeting moment of sin and all its effects.

Pick Six Question Number One

2010-10-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

1. (Spirituality) Why is God so strongly displeased at carved idols, even those that are intended to represent Him? How then shall we picture God or think of God in our minds when we pray to Him?

Good question, and one we can make more complicated than it is. God doesn't like idols because they don't look like Him. God doesn't like idols because they are not Him. If idols are worshiped instead of God, aha, the definition of idolatry. If idols are worshiped instead of God, God is not being worshiped, and that's wrong.

God doesn't like idols because He has provided a better way of worship. We should picture God by thinking about His attributes, all the things He has revealed about Himself, His works, and His holy character. We should worship God in His works, roles, and mutual attributes as a triune-being who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is how we think of Him when we pray, thinking and knowing and feeling the effects thereof, of someone who is great above all greatness and Holy, the definition of Holy.

There are descriptions of Jesus in the New Testament and theophanies in the Old Testament we can think about. But no attempt at recreating those descriptions visually or mentlaly should become an object or a serious thought about what He actually looks like. Take the awe and wonder they inspire and focus that on the so-known but so-unknown God who is majestic and Holy.

What we need to understand to benefit more in prayer and thought: His works, His Holiness, His other character & attributes

Don't use analogies for the Trinity

2010-10-24T20:12:00.000-07:00

They are all terrible. The egg, H₂O, Man, and various drawings.

There is one decent diagram I like in the ESV Study Bible which uses words and a drawing. I also like that classic celtic(?) Trinitarian symbol (the one that POD happens to use).

But please just stop using any and all analogies for the Trinity. I will not chillax about this.

Chillax on the word "Church"

2010-10-24T19:54:00.000-07:00

In this post I respond to another one of my previous (and recent) excesses and hope that others will listen as well.

It has become popular to not use the word "church" unless you are referring to a group of people. Voluminous recent works on the "church", or what people think is the church, point out that the Greek word ekklesia, which is the word translated as church in most uses, refers to people.

This is of course because church is much more commonly thought of and used to refer to a building. Verses on the church are heard as referring to an institution-- building, people et al-- and not just people.

I tried real hard to do this. I was 'convicted' about it. It was not a 'church' any more unless it was flesh, blood, and spirit. It was a "church building". I loved the fact that in Namibia our church building's sign said, "The home of Eastside Baptist Church."

Well, honestly that is dumb. Somewhere along the line, or maybe all along, the English word for church came to mean a building, a place, a thing. That's the language we speak, so live with it, and stop judging people.

Now, if anyone uses the word "ekklesia" to refer to a building, by all means, smack them upside the head with your stellar Bible knowledge.

I will continue to teach my children that a church is the covenanted members including the eldership and diaconate of a local body, and that the church is every saint redeemed around the world. But I will not think badly of them, or myslef lol, when they say "we're going to church" or I [slip] and say it. I will chillax, rightly, and be happier because of it.

The oddest thing of this whole bit is that so many of these guys teaching us that a church is not a church, have no idea what a church is. IMHO.

Jonathan Edwards Quote

2010-10-24T14:01:00.000-07:00

"The purifying influence of the Spirit corrects the taste of the soul, whereby He savors those things taht are holy and agreeable to God. Like one with discriminating taste, the Spirit chooses those things that are good and wholesome, and rejects those that are evil. And thus the Spirit of God leads and guides; He enables us to understand the commands and counsels of God's Word, and rightly to apply them."
Amen, Jonathan Edwards, quoted in some random book I am about to throw away

Chillax on Bible Translations

2010-10-23T19:05:00.000-07:00

I think there is a lot of Bible version idolatry out there. I was like this from approx December 2003 until sometime in 2005. It was ESV or bust. When the ESV came out, John Piper came out swinging for it, and most of his blows were directed toward the NIV. It became and is very popular. There are still some places I could go where I would be embarassed to carry anything else, though it shouldn't be that way. That's kind of what this is about.

I read the ESV exclusively until I was finished with it... and then I read the New Living Translation (2nd edition) and it was also good. Most people who you might have a good theological conversation with would think, "NLT? Blasphemy!" but they probably have no idea what they are talking about. #1. It's not the "Living Bible." #2. It's not the first edition NLT. They should have called it something else because the 2nd edition is actually good, whereas, the 1st edition could have been left unpublished, IMHO. Exacerbating this edition problem, biblegateway.com only listed and searched the 1st edition for years after the 2nd came out.

One more point on the NLT, Tom Schreiner and Douglas Moo translated its version of Romans. Simplifying it actually made it clunkier, not good for memorization, again IMHO. So I read the NLT chronologically and that was awesome. I highly recommend it for Job. Hebrews was good, and generally it's a pleasure to read. Off the top of my head, Isaiah was not so great in it and I had some gripes with 1st Corinthians. I used it for my daily reading and some teaching with people in Africa who didn't speak English so well. It was very beneficial.

After the NLT, I read the NIV. The NIV is what I read the most before I was a Christian and for the first 6 years of my Christian life. Honestly, I'm not sure if I read the whole thing or not in that time but I definitely read most of it and most books more than once. I picked it up again in 2008 because it was the most popular translation at the church where I was interning (and preaching) at in Namibia. It's usually a good thing when you can use the text from the same version your audience has in front of them, even if you don't do your study and prepartion using it. It was great to get back into and I rediscovered that the NIV contains my favorite translation of Isaiah.

I started planning my next Bible for weeks before I finished the NIV. It's an interlinear Greek New Testament by the Mounce father-son duo. I took 1 year of Greek in my 1 year of Seminary and loved it. For years already I had been perusing the Greek text in my E-Sword for whatever text I was studying, and actually learning it was so great. That's where I'm at now. There was a big delay in starting it because of the back and forth to Namibia fiasco. I had intended on reading it when we got back to Namibia after 30 days in America (May 2009) and handed it off to brother in Christ Norman at the airport. Well, it took me a long time to come to grips with the fact I probably needed to buy another one but eventually I did. I wonder if that copy I dropped off while we were in the airport for two hours got any use yet.

People like to talk to trash about the Message. I agree, it is a problem if people read that as their Bible... but don't blame the book for its improper use. It's got the guy's name on the cover. No Bible has an author's name on the cover except "Holy".

Anyway, people need to chillax on Bible translations. If you see a guy at your conference or meeting or who is new to your church, and he's carrying an NLT, just stop and think he might have read the ESV 8 times already.

For accuracy and study: recommend 1st Greek, 2nd ESV
For reaching out to people who haven't read / don't read much: 1st NLT 2nd edition, 2nd NIV
For chillaxing: NLT, NIV, ESV

Random comments on other versions:
HCSB: good promo materials...
KJV: can't speak it. Too bad the Johannine comma isn't legit :P. If you are KJV-only, you're not reading this.
NKJV: Pastor in America uses it, Mother-in-law uses it... seems cool
AMP: This is the 4th or 5th most read Bible by me. I at first thought it was blasphemy and then found out what the brackets and italics and extra words mean. If you don't know what they've done with those, you should find out and read some before passing judgment.
GNB: This is what I took from my Lutheran church as a kid. It had some cool line drawings, and some really odd translations in the book of Daniel that weren't good for a kid obsessed with Bible prophecy.
ESV E-Sword edition: Giving away the ESV in E-Sword is one of the best things about it / Crossway. I don't have anything fancier than the awesome E-Sword. I use the Greek and ESV in it constantly.
ESV Study Bible: Awesome charts and it's dressed in reformation orange. Semper Reformanda.
NIV Reformation Study Bible edition: Should have found it earlier.
NIV Spirit-Filled edition: - I hope so!
NLT "For those who thirst": I'm pretty sure the other Bibles will satisfy thirst too. Horrible marketing!
AMP for memorization: I can't believe how some pentecostals actually memorize this version
Recovery Version: It's from a cult. Put it down. And run.
Joseph Smith Translation: Seriously, mormons, why don't you use this?
New World Translation: Another cult Bible (Jehovah's witness). On our first trip to Namibia we found school kids with these (only Bible they had) so we replaced them

I knew Mike Peters was a psycho

2010-10-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

when I saw the all-white shoes he was wearing in his youtube videos.

Mike Peters is a cult leader

2010-10-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

1. Verses ripped out of context, taken to logical absurdities, and then turned into strange doctrines.

2. Verses ripped out of context, taken with an extreme wooden literal interpretation even though they contradict other scripture, and then turned into legalisms.

3. The belief that your group is perhaps or probably the only true manifestation of Christ's body on the earth.

4. Can you say Jim Jones, Joseph Smith, David Koresh, and a hundred million other guys who have controlled other people's lives because of their 'insight' 'maturity' or 'wisdom' about what it meant to obey Jesus?

5. Claiming its just persecution when people flee from your mind control and warn others.

2 Timothy 3:12-13 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

6. Publishing enough of your own material to choke a horse... and keep a few followers busy reading forever.

Covenants have signs

2010-10-23T16:23:00.000-07:00

The covenant with Noah's sign is the rainbow

The Abrahamic covenant's sign is circumcision (kept in Christ by the circumcision of the heart).

The Mosaic covenant has for its sign the sabbath, kept in Christ by the Christian who rests from his 'works'. (Exo 31:16-17, Heb 4:10)

The Davidic covenant's sign is the Throne, fulfilled forever by Christ sitting on it.

The New covenant's sign is the Lord's Supper.

The Abrahamic, Mosaic, and New Covenants

2010-10-23T16:15:00.000-07:00

are like a caterpillar, a chrysalis, and a butterly.

The Abrahamic was covered by the Mosaic and then emerged as/in the New.

The Davidic covenant could be thought of as the branch of a sapling to which the chrysalis attached. But as the butterfly emerges, the little sapling transforms into a great tree where the butterly is not attached but flies.

I found my old blog was deleted

2010-10-22T18:15:00.001-07:00

So I started it over.

Welcome back to disposable Christian