Psalm 8 Unidentified means we don't know What does the Bible have to do with flying saucers, little green men, and aliens? Unidentified flying object is a technical term that has been parodied Are there U.F.O.'s in the Bible? Yes 2 Kings 2:11 – Elijah's final ride Ezekiel 1:15-21 – Ezekiel's wheels Exodus 13:21-22 – pillars There are also creatures that cannot be explained Ezekiel 1:5-10 – creatures of four faces Revelation 4:6-8 – four creatures around the throne Isaiah 6:1-6 – Seraphim Genesis 6:4 – Nephilim (Numbers 13:33; 1 Samuel 17:4) Job 40:15-18 – Behemoth Job 41:1ff – Leviathan Does this mean that UFO's and aliens are real? Faith and God This sermon series has never tried to divide along real or not It has been the issue of responding to the subject For believers in UFO's it is real for them and they have to be dealt with as with any religious believer Some people see no inconsistency between believing in God and UFOs It isn't completely inconsistent to believe in both God's universe is immense There are realms that we may not see God's ways are higher than our ways and knowledge greater than ours The inconsistency happens when God is replaced There is a line between believing that life outside of our own is possible and denying the God is God over all This series has been about asking one question It was not are ghosts, angels, or UFOs real The question I have been answering is: Is God real? Angels are worshipped because of their amazing qualities Ghosts are sought to provide answers UFOs are credited with humanity's evolution and advancement But God is behind angels and they are bound to God's authority Ghosts are persons without bodies but we have those spirits by God's breath UFOs and aliens may exist, but it is God who created the universe and placed them in it God is majestic above all and we have been created by God, for God's glory and worship, and ultimately to be God's chosen people
Friday, November 20, 2009
Beyond the Normal Seek Out New Life
Beyond the Normal What’s That You Hear
Deuteronomy 18:9-14 No way, no how Lately there is a revival of an artform that was very popular from the late 1800's to mid 1900's Spiritualists and mediums flourished in the Victorian period Many people believed in the spirit world and sought to make contact The rise of spiritualists and mediums eventually turned in the age of science Science began to "prove" many of these individuals as fakes and con-artists The increased interest in this artform now is due to the willingness of many to believe in the paranormal But this practice of communicating with the dead goes all the way back to pre-biblical times Shaman and magi would claim ability to communicate with spirit world That is where the OT picks up the story The Hebrew children/Israelites were surrounded by cultures that practiced this Egyptians had a very strong belief in the spirit world The Chaldeans were known for their spirit world beliefs The Hebrew children were exposed to this on a daily basis Deuteronomy becomes a defining law in the life of Israel God prohibits allowing those who cast spells, mediums, spiritists, or anyone who calls up the dead Chobar cheber - Spell casting to charm someone, or to take away free will Shoeel owb Рa consulter of familiar spirits Yidde oniy Рa knowing one Doreesh hameetiym Рseeker of death/ the dead Saul breaks the law when he consults a shoeel owb in 1 Samuel 28 Samuel, the prophet, was dead and buried The Philistines had invaded the land Saul sought God's wisdom through approved channels РGod did not answer Saul found a consulter of familiar spirits to bring Samuel forth Samuel comes forth and condemns Saul in death as he did in life Why turn to the dead Saul is a great example of anyone who goes to a medium Рthey want reassurance or comfort or wisdom from someone they know has the answers In life we turn to parents or aunts/uncles we admire for wisdom; we look to our children as hope In death, when those we have turned to are gone, it seems that our source of wisdom, hope, reassurance is gone Mediums and spiritists play on the longing of people to find answers or words of comfort regarding someone they have lost But Saul forgot the word of the Lord Р1 Chronicles 10:13-14 The issue of mediums, spirit talkers, s̩ances, Ouija boards isn't in the act of doing but in the act of not doing By turning to the dead through these individuals people are forgetting the living РGod Isaiah 8:19 Рto consult the dead is to turn on the living God God has established himself as the ultimate source of wisdom, comfort, assurance, hope Exodus 34:14 РGod is Jealous, demands singular devotion 1 Corinthians 15:22-28 Рdeath is defeated in Christ and under his authority Romans 5:1-5 Рhope that God offers does not disappoint
Beyond the Normal Not Afraid of Ghosts
Ezekiel 37:1-6 How does the Bible deal with ghosts OT – no use of the word "ghost" as rendered in Hebrew 1 Samuel 28:3,11-19 – Saul has Samuel conjured from the dead and has a conversation (eloihim) NT – 2 separate occasions "ghost" is mentioned Jesus walking on the water is considered a ghost (phantasm) (Mt14:26; Mk 6:49) Luke 24:37,39 – Jesus appears and refers to a pneuma not having flesh and blood What are ghosts? Most people define ghosts as the spirit or soul or essence of a person how most times is dead Mark 12:30 – love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, strength Matt 10:30 – the body that can be destroyed but not the soul Gen 35:18 – soul departs at death There is an understanding from OT and NT that soul is the breath of life Gen 2:7 – the breath given to man Life is not just physical being Thought and feeling are experienced separate of physical Spirit and soul are not "felt" but it is part of us When physical life ends we believe that only the physical ends Mentally, emotionally, and spiritually we continue 2 Corinthians 4:16 As a definition of ghost A demon/angel is not a ghost – demon/angels are a creation of their own A ghost may be a demon/angel due to the nature of tempt/message If a ghost is a soul released by death we have to ask why it isn't at rest Dealing with ghosts Death is a time of rest for the soul Final judgment is to happen at God's chosen time Until then death is a time of rest/waiting until then What is behind ghostly encounters Explained by natural/environmental explanations Emotional connection Natural/environmental Intelligent
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sermon Series: Beyond the Normal Angels and Demons the Real Story
Angels and Demons the real story OT use of angels OT use of demons NT use of angels NT use of demons New Age angels Beyond the Normal Angels and Demons the Real Story Colossians 2:16-19, 23 Beyond the normal Christianity is a religion with room for the paranormal Healing miracles, power of prayer, life after death, body raised from dead But many Christians reject out right what is called paranormal phenomena Instead of rejecting it, we need to examine it and speak truth about it We begin by looking at angels and demons Angels and demons Angels and demons are a big deal in New Age movements and paranormal research Angels have a new cult-like religious movement of their own Demons are considered to be manifesting in cases where there are evil deeds But what is the biblical truth behind these creatures? Does the Bible talk about angels and demons? Yes Old and New Testaments refer to angels in the same fashion Hebrew – malak; Greek – angelos; both mean messenger They serve at God's command to deliver messages to people Old Testament hardly refers to demons; New Testament with some frequency Hebrew – shade or sair; Greek – daimon Most often the OT refers to them as the spirit behind idols that are worshipped NT they torment human kind and lead people astray Tradition tells us that angels and demons were created in the beginning by God Is 14:12-14; Jude 6 Angels served God in worship until one angel was filled with pride This angel was cast down with other angels for their pride This angel became Satan and his angels are demons If this is the case then angels and demons have the same power and essential nature Angels are strong (Ps 103:20; Mt 28:2); have power over material objects (Ac 5:19; 12:7,10); have power to curse a person to death (Ac 12:23); and are capable of sin (2 Pe 2:4) There is also some evidence that there may be angels who watch over humans Mat 18:10; Ac 12:15; Heb 1:14 Demons appear to affect people mentally and physically in cases of possession; they know who God and Jesus are instinctively (Mk 1:34; Jam 2:19); and are behind the worship of other deities (Dt 32:17; Ps 106:37; 1 Cor 10:20-21) Demons seem to operate in three manners Temptation – as seen in how they respond to Jesus; 2 Cor 11:14; 1Tim 4:1-3 Oppression – 1 Sam 16:14-23 Possession – NT stories (Mt 4:24, 8:16, 28; 9:32; 12:22; 15:22; Mk 16:9;Lk 4:33; The Christian answer to the paranormal question Within our belief system this is what we can say Angels and demons are real Angels and demons have power beyond human ability Angels and demons interact with humanity But angels and demons are not independently powerful Angels and demons both answer to a higher power Angels and demons are both subject to Jesus Christ - 1 Peter 3:22;Luke 10:17 An angel will speak no message unless Jesus Christ is glorified through it A demon cannot remain when bound under the name of Jesus Christ Lk 4:41; Mk 3:14-15; Lk 9:49-50; Lk 11:20
Monday, October 26, 2009
Where...oh where...has my little blog gone?
I'm still here. Pondering great mysteries. Wondering about my sons become young men. Trying to love my wife more fully. Preaching the Gospel and living it to the best of my ability. But I just haven't been filled with inspiration to put anything to 1's and 0's.
So today, boys and girls, I thought I would vent a little frustration at my vacation. I'm going to Disney World. Yeah, I didn't think anyone would be surprised.
We are planning on a December trip. Lisa and the boys have never seen the park in full Disney Christmas holiday finest (I got to see some of it solo a couple of years back). We were tempted and didn't resist.
One of the nice things about going early in December is that there are smaller crowds. And smaller crowds mean a little slower pace to enjoy things.
Except I now find out that the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade is being filmed the same weekend we are going to be there. Have you ever seen the Parade on t.v.? Bunches of people lining Main Street U.S.A. Crowds of people wanting to get their .015 minute of fame as the camera gazes past their faces. Three days of filming in the Magic Kingdom means three days of really avoiding the Magic Kingdom. Blech!
And I was really looking forward to this trip as a time of relaxing enjoyment without fighting hordes of people.
So what to do? What to do?
Adapt.
It is easy to get frustrated and decide something isn't worth the effort. It is easy to blow it off and say, "There is an easier way." But that isn't how we do things around here.
We are going to go to Disney World. We are going to experience the Magic that Disney excels at providing. We are going to make memories as a family. We are going to get frustrated and aggravated, but we will be together in the Happiest Place On Earth.
And we might even kiss Mickey.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Yo Joe Finally
I love comic books. I've been reading them as long as….well as long as I've been reading. I remember some of my earliest comic books were when I was in the second or third grade. And superhero comics are a big part of my collection. Yes, I collect comic books also. Spider-man has always been one of my heroes. And the Avengers were my favorite superhero team. But there is only one comic book series that I have collected almost every copy of and the accompanying toys (yes, I collect dolls….erm, action figures). When G.I. Joe hit the shelves in the early '80's, I grabbed the first copy. I still have it. Nope, it's not worth anything, so don't come looking for it. It is ripped and stained and frayed on the edges. It has no monetary value. But its condition should tell you where its value lies. I read and read that book over and over. This was not the story of G.I. Joe, the soldiers of World War 2. This was not the story of G.I. Joe, the toy soldier and adventurer line of the '60's. This was a new G.I. Joe, a team of top of their skills special forces operatives. Their mission was to do what the regular armed forces couldn't accomplish, even special forces. In the comic book, the characters were non-regulation military. Uniforms, weapons, skills, etiquette, grooming habits, none of them would have passed muster in regular military life. But they were excellent at what they did. Their primary nemesis was a terrorist/for-profit organization called Cobra. The Joes waged a balanced struggle with Cobra. They were just as over the top as any other comic supervillain. The Joes had their work cut out for them. And they fought the good fight through 155 issues. Larry Hama was the principal writer for the entire series. And he produced some compelling characters, engaging stories, and memories that will last a lifetime. Fast forward to this past weekend when Lisa, Andrew, and I went to see the first serious feature length life-action G.I. Joe movie. I love comic book movies. Except Superman Returns. And The Hulk. So the Joe fan in me had to go see this movie. Let me say up front that I liked the movie. It was light years beyond Transformers 2 in terms of enjoyment. There were plot holes. There was some campiness that I could do without. But I liked the movie. Except. They really messed with my story. I say my story because these were characters I had grown up with through my teen years. The stories of their life are as real to me as a soap opera junkies "stories" are to them. As I watched them being totally re-written for a new generation (who rarely ever picks up a book unless they must…much less comics) I felt that I was losing the opportunity to share with my boys what was a big part of my youth. I am going to have to tell them the stories to help them understand how passionate I am about this. Or better yet, maybe I'll drag out the comic collection and let them share it. No. On second thought, maybe not that.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Fear Not
Yesterday morning I was out on the back porch, drinking my coffee and enjoying E. Stanley Jones. For those who are not familiar, E. Stanley Jones was a Methodist preacher and evangelist in the middle part of the 20th Century. He was also what may be considered a prolific devotional writer. I am currently collecting and reading through his writings. Most of ESJ's writings were devotional books that were structured to be read completely through (and could be done in one sitting…if you were only reading in a shallow manner), read thematically (he broke the writings into themed sections and not chapters), or daily (each page gives a daily reference). As a frame of reference, think about the Upper Room devotional or Our Daily Bread. Only chewier. What I mean by chewier is that ESJ wrote some real serious thinking and introspective material. He was writing for life change, not just simple devotion. He wasn't trying to give people a brief "time with God" kind of moment. He was looking transform people in such a way that their lives were radically altered. He was an evangelist after all. Titles such as How To Be a Transformed Person or Abundant Living hint to the depth of where ESJ wanted to take devotees. Currently I am reading The Way. And I want to share something that I came across yesterday in my reading. ESJ was dealing with fear. The first thing that really struck me as I was thinking about the subject was my own fears. I have identified three fears that are obvious in my life. I'm afraid of water (although I shower regularly), I'm afraid of heights, and I'm afraid of roller coasters. ESJ speaks to dealing with fears and presents 16 steps to dealing with fears. This is not a short term, easy fix solution. The first step he describes is by saying that there are only 2 inherent fears in human nature – fear of falling and loud noises. By remembering that all other fears are learned behavior we begin to see that there is control over them. Second is to talk over those fears with someone you trust. Really talk about the fears. Third is to decide on a plan of action. Fourth is to look at our surroundings (environment), our past history, and our present ideas and attitudes. Fifth he encourages us to think faith (Proverbs 23:7; or even Philippians 4:8). From the 6th point through the 16th point he talks about surrendering that fear to God instead of fighting those fears. If you want to know more detail, I suggest picking up a copy in an old book store or trying to find it on line. Or come for coffee some morning. But reading all of that got me to thinking about something else. Do we ever see Jesus afraid in the Gospels? The only thing that I feel may be close was the scene in the garden on the night of his arrest. But was it really fear that motivated the prayer, "let this cup pass from me"? When he was a youth separated from his family, there was no fear. When Jesus faced the crowd that wanted to stone him, there was no fear. When Jesus was being pressed by the religious leaders on his beliefs, there was no fear. When he was in new territory and surrounded by strangers, there was no fear. When he stood before a kangaroo court, before the seat of Roman power, was led from place to place under arrest, walked to his execution, and even on the cross facing the end of his mortal life Jesus showed no fear. Fears control so many people. I don't just mean actions. I also think about how fear controls emotions, attitudes, opinions, and even health. Fear is a cancer. It takes healthy life and turns it into something negative and destructive. But throughout Scripture, when God's appointed messenger shows up on the scene, what is the first word – fear not. It isn't easy to fear not. But it is possible; especially when we begin to tap into the power of surrender. Surrender is not a natural human inclination. In fact surrender is blocked by fear. When we face something in which surrender is an option, we encounter the natural inherent human response – fight or flight. This is fear response. So surrender, even to God, the lover of our souls, is fear inducing. But when we overcome fear through surrender to God, we are bringing power beyond imagination and grace beyond degree into our lives to bring fear into control. Healing occurs, forgiveness abounds, and love fills. Fear not – for God is on your side.
