Do You Know What You Believe?

As I am afforded the opportunity to preach and teach the Word of God, there is one thing that is noticeable far above anything else: Christians do not know what they believe.

There are very few Christians who understand their faith and consequently are not able to give a reasoned presentation of what they believe and why they believe it. This signals that we are lacking the knowledge of key essentials of the faith, particularly in this generation.

There's nothing wrong with not knowing something; it becomes problematic when we choose to remain in the darkness of ignorance.

This blog will focus on essential Christian doctrines; primarily from a Protestant perspective.

Let's simply start with some base definitions. What is doctrine? Doctrine means "teaching." It is a belief (or a system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative. For Christians the authoritative book of doctrine is the Bible which we believe to be God's infallible Word that has been preserved for us.

In his book, “Unmasking The Cults” - which addresses cults of Christianity (as defined by theology), Dr. Alan W. Gomes writes,

"Central doctrines" of the Christian faith are those doctrines that make the Christian faith Christian and not something else.

The meaning of the expression "Christian faith" is not like a wax nose, which can be twisted to mean whatever the speaker wants it to mean.

1. The Christian faith is a definite system of beliefs with definite content (Jude 3)

2. Certain Christian doctrines constitute the core of the faith. Central doctrines include the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the bodily resurrection, the atoning work of Christ on the cross, and salvation by grace through faith. These doctrines so comprise the essence of the Christian faith that to remove any of them is to make the belief system non-Christian.

3.Scripture teaches that the beliefs mentioned above are of central importance (e.g., Matt. 28:19; John 8:24; 1 Cor. 15; Eph. 2:8-10).Because these central doctrines define the character of Christianity, one cannot be saved and deny these. Central doctrines should not be confused with peripheral issues, about which Christians may legitimately disagree.

4. Peripheral (i.e. non-essential) doctrines include such issues as the timing of the tribulation, the method of baptism, or the structure of church government. For example, one can be wrong about the identity of "the spirits in prison" 1 Peter 3:19) or about the timing of the rapture and still go to heaven, but one cannot deny salvation by grace or the deity of Christ (John 8:24) and be saved.

5. All Christian denominations — whether Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Protestant — agree on the essential core. The relatively minor disagreements between genuinely Christian denominations, then, cannot be used to argue that there is no objectively recognized core of fundamental doctrine which constitutes the Christian faith.

- Source: Source: Alan Gomes, Cult: A Theological Definition, excerpt from "Unmasking The Cults" Zondervan Publishing Company (May 11, 1995)

Stay tuned for the next blog: Man's Problem, God's Solution.

Race, Religion, and Politics: The Black Christian Perspective

This is an old article I did during the primary season that I posted on another blog of mine that you may want to check out.

The historic nature of this year’s election season, in particular the Democratic race, can be described in one word: historic. Politics may not be your “cup of tea”, but when a democratic national debate can effectively compete with the viewers of the ever-popular “American Idol”, it assures us that we are living in an extraordinary, if not unparalleled moment in our nation’s history.

With respect and due deference to the African-American plight in America and how much further we have yet to go, let’s pause for a moment and “smell the flowers” as it were, and look at how far we’ve actually come: for the first time in America we have two traditional minorities, an African-American male and a white female, one of which will have the opportunity to be a candidate for President of the United States. This is not to discount the enormity or importance of what Jesse Jackson accomplished in 1988, (Barack and Hilary are both standing on his shoulders), but the meteoric rise of two non-traditional candidates in an arena largely dominated by white males is exceptional and unmatched in our nation’s history. Call it what you want, but this is history in the making.

This year’s political race has even injected new vernacular into our everyday conversation. We’ve become more familiar with words like divisive, incendiary, and substantive, just to name a few. We’ve witnessed a genuine interest from the college demographic, not seen since the 70’s. Sitcom and reality favorites have had to take a back seat to presidential debates featured on the same night. Voter turnout has skyrocketed to historic highs while major sporting events have played second fiddle to breaking news in the current political arena.

It has been the “War of Words”, as each candidate is forced to choose each word so carefully as not to offend or become an affront to current or future supporters. They are constantly under microscopic critique, assessment, and evaluation each primary and caucus as voters are faced with decisions that will undoubtedly change the course of American history.

So as we thankfully, yes thankfully, come to the close of yet another Bush era, what roles do race and religion play in a society that is set to make a paradigm shift that certainly will become the reference point of gender and race progressivism for generations to come?

As African-Americans I think that it is extremely difficult to see ourselves outside of the experience of slavery, educational and economic genocide, societal prejudices, and years of social injustice. It has been just 44 years since we were given the right to vote. Black executives (men or women) in the public and private sector are as noticeable as growing grass, the disparity in public education in minority vs. white neighborhoods has actually increased since Brown vs. Board of Education, and housing in minority neighborhoods, in particular African-American neighborhoods is so disproportionate to that of whites living in the same city, is egregious and unacceptable in this day and age.

And so it is a natural response that we begin to look for a savior of sorts, someone like us who looks like us, but has been chosen to rise above the issues that have tyrannized us for years, someone who is brazen, bold, and gallant, who will lead the way to freedom and justice. The African-American has had many “saviors.” Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, (yes, even Malcolm ya’ll), Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, James Baldwin, and Martin Luther King, Jr., just to name a few, and I do mean just a few. The question now is where does Barack Obama fit into the scope of African-American “deliverers?” Is he the one? Is he our Neo? Can he deliver us from this matrix of monotony and ennui?

Drum roll please…

Sadly, the answer is no.

The answer would be the same if we were talking about Kwesi Mfume, Al Sharpton, (don’t laugh) Colin Powell, Clarence Thomas, (again, don’t laugh) J.C. Watts, Condoleezza Rice, Roland S. Martin (start watching CNN for crying out loud), or any other black leader for that matter. None of them could provide the permanency of freedom, equality, and justice that we as a black nation are looking for.

None of them.

None of them have the power to stop racism. None of them have the power to bring about true justice and equality, and fellowship among all men and women. Admittedly, they have the power to change the laws of the land, but they don’t have the power to transform the human heart.

As we remember our struggle in light of what lies ahead the words of Frederick Douglass seem to reverberate louder than ever when he stated, “Without struggle, there is no progress.” And even more pointedly the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whom we know as the Strong Deliverer, when he said, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Barack Obama-44th President of the United States of America

By now you know that Sen. Barack Hussein Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America.

As I listened to Charlie Gibson on ABC announce Obama's landslide victory, I remembered a scene from the second edition of the Matrix trilogy. Shortly before the "keymaker" died he gave Neo a key to a room. Inside of that room Neo met the architect of "The Matrix." Much to Neo's dismay the architect of the matrix began to intimate to Neo that though he was "The One" he has not been the only one and even though he may succeed now, eventually things will snap back like a rubber band into the hands of those in powerful, namely the architect and his cohorts.

He gives Neo two choices; save the city of Zion or save the love of his life, Trinity. Neo of course is moved by love (don't miss that) and choose Trinity. However, before he walks out of the door he looks at the architect and he says, "You better hope we never see each other again."

The imagery is powerful. As I started to think about the architect's words when he said, "There have been five versions before you and you're no different", my mind went back to Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, Medgar Evers, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King, and now Barack Obama. What the architect didn't understand is that though many had came before Neo, things would now be different and it was in his best interests that they didn't meet again under the same circumstances. Obviously, in the final episode Neo did conquer the matrix by giving himself.

The way was paved for Barack Obama. Many tears were cried, much blood was shed, and many lives prematurely taken, but it proved to be worth it. You may not have voted for him, but just as social conservatives encouraged liberals to accept and pray for George Bush and invoke Romans 13, now I ask those same liberals to do the same for Barack Obama. Whether we like it or not, God chose him. We may not know for what purpose he chose him, but time will reveal that mystery.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new President, Barack Obama. He needs our prayers.

God In History

One thing that I appreciate about my studying church history is that it causes you to broaden your mind concerning the work, will, and the presence of God throughout the history of the world. Intuitively and theologically we understand that God is present. We understand that he possesses all power. We have landed on the correct conclusion that he knows all things and that his knowledge is not limited by time and space, but he preexists outside those limitations, simply meaning that he is before the beginning and he continues after the end. When we meditate on the fact that God is not affected by temporal things, it become all the more amazing to consider that at the same time God can express feelings towards his creation and still declare absoluteness in his character. This is an amazing thing to ponder, not to analyze, but to experience awe at the splendor and grandeur of God.

Isaiah in his description of the Messiah said that he was wonderful. It's interesting when you discover that wonderful doesn't mean wonderful in a modern context. Wonderful to us means great, marvelous, magnificent, etc. And of course, Jesus is all those things and more. When Isaiah used this word he uses a hyperbole to attempt to explain a God that he has been given a vision of but cannot seem to grapple with the essence of who he is...and so he calls him "wonderful." The word wonderful simply means "difficult to understand", "incomprehensible", or "beyond finding out." Later in his book, which I like to call the Old Testament Gospel, Isaiah declares that "there is no searching of his understanding."

In the five weeks that I have been in my Modern Church History class at Fuller Theological Seminary I am again (this is second stab at graduate seminary) going through a deconstruction of sorts of my personal theology. The deconstruction is not designed to cause you to abort your faith, but in a sense "test" the theological ground that you stand on to verify if it is a sure foundation built on the Word of God. If after the process of deconstruction one finds that their faith has been eradicated, there is a positive chance that it may not have been present initially as previously perceived.

However, in my deconstruction, out of all the wars that have been fought over the faith, out of all of the coerced conversions, the creeds that magnified classicism, sexism, and racism above the knowledge of God, the stain of Roman culture that diluted the simplicity of the apostle's doctrine, I still see the mighty hand of God and I marvel at the presence, power, and love of Jesus Christ to permeate our inconsistencies, misunderstandings, and outright misrepresentation of the kingdom of God, and look past our faults and see our real need.

God is an awesome God and he loves us more than we will ever know.

Revival This Week

Beginning Wednesday, October 29 - Friday, October 31 at 7pm nightly, I have the distinct and august privilege of conducting the fall revival at New Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Los Angeles, CA.

New Mt. Olive is led by a man of God who I've come to admire, Rev. Franklin Williams, M. Div. I first learned of him through my pastor and because of that a wonderful relationship has come into fruition. He and my pastor (Pastor Bobby Cain) are good friends and I praise God for the ecclesiastical connections.

What's interesting about this revival is that I did not find out about it until last night. Here's the story: I was on the phone with my former pastor in Oklahoma City (Dr. Levi L. Lenley, who is an absolute terror in the pulpit) and for more than 50 years he has criscrossed the U.S. preaching revivals and I wanted to ask him wise ways to enter that arena. Strangely enough it kept leaving my mind as new subjects arose and we traveled down memory lane. During our conversation, Rev. Jamain Lewis, an associate minister at New Mt. Olive called me repeatedly, but I did not want to break the conversation with my former pastor seeing that we have not had a chance to speak since I was in Oklahoma City last May.

After my conversation with Dr. Lenley I called Rev. Lewis back and lo and behold he tells me about his pastor's invitation to me to conduct a revival. I was floored at how God was working. It was already in my spirit about doing revivals, I was, quite honestly, attempting to open up my own door (the Abrahamic syndrome), but God in his faithfulness closed that door and opened up the door that he wanted me to go through.

So, if you're free 10/29-10-31 please stop by New Mt. Olive Baptist church at 448 E. 99th St. in Los Angeles. If you need further directions email me at the address on my profile. I humbly solicit your prayers.

Women in Ministry

I know the picture to the left may create tension and just a few short months ago caused much controversy within "Christendom" (and I use that term lightly). However, I intentionally used the picture to 1) create tension for critical thought, and 2) to foster a discussion of the role of women in ministry.

I won't provide any answers, thoughts, or conclusions until the conversation has went around the block at least once. I'd really like to hear from you on this one. I don't yet have the visitors that my new found friend Pastor Fitts does (you should check out his blog if you haven't, it's a good'un), but I'm coming along.

I'm sure you're already familiar with the proof texts for each side of the argument. :)

My First Paper-My First Grade

Dr. Daniel Draney, an adjunct professor of history at Fuller Theological Seminary called my name last night and handed me back my first paper in seminary since the spring of 2002. (Previously, I attended Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, OK) I reluctantly took it. As I began to peruse through it, I was highly appreciative that he did not make his comments in red, but rather in pencil. Red marks always seem to hurt a little more.

I turned each page slowly, noting his correction of minor grammatical errors. He also wrote a couple of questions in the margins that pointed to the need for more clarity. As I was taking in the constructive criticism, I started to get nervous as I knew I was reaching the last page where I would see my grade. The last page contained a small paragraph noting that my paper was a "little difficult to follow" and that my sentence structure was at times "long and cumbersome." Altogether, he noted that I had a good understanding of the text and gave me pointers on concision and succinctness and how to illustrate a point by saying less.

I absolutely embraced his critique and accepted it wholeheartedly. It's been 7 years since I've done critical writing and my writing now has a proclivity to take on more of a sermon-esque approach. Now the challenge will be to prevent my sermons from sounding like my critical writing assignments. I must quickly re-learn the balancing act between the two.

Now the paper was due on October 13th. Class began September 29th. Because of a lack of finances I didn't get my books until October 10th. My grade was a "B." To have a 259-page book for 2.5 days and write a comprehensive 5-7 page report and get a "B" was an accomplishment within itself.

Unfortunately, I opened my big mouth and revealed that I had only had the book for a short time, and unintentionally caused some angst for those who received the same grade, but had had the book for 3 weeks. :)

When I saw their reaction I thought it a good idea not to tell them that I didn't read the whole book and only made it to page 97 and basically wrote on what I read. Fortunately, for me, the author continued in the same vein and built on his foundational argument that he made in the first 100 pages. All I can say is God is good! The professor usually puts one book on reserve, but it was already taken.

Oh yeah, the book we read (and I will read the rest of the book) was "The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity" by Philip Jenkins. Good book.

Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community

The title of this post is the title Michelle LaVaughn Robinson (now Obama) used as her senior thesis as an undergraduate student at Princeton University. Subsequently, she graduated with cum laude honors in 1985 and enrolled in Harvard Law School the same year and graduated in 1988.

Sophisticated, polished beautiful, effervescent, and exemplary are all words that aptly describe Michelle Obama. She is every bit of that description and much more. Ironically, those adjectives seem to mirror the characteristics of my wife. :)

It is not a clandestine fact that I support the Obama ticket for President. If you read my earlier blogs you will discover that although I am a fundamentalist at heart, I have many good reasons for my choice.

However, it is strange to me that you literally have a husband-wife team that attended Ivy League institutions for their undergraduate degrees and ensuing Juris Doctorates, worked as community organizers in one of the toughest cities in America, but yet are purported as having no experience. Conversely, if you look at Senator McCain's grades and conduct in the Naval Academy they are quite alarming and don't seem to contribute to the makings of Presidential character.

Contrary to popular belief and sentiment, the point is not to degrade McCain, what he's done for this country cannot be refuted or repaid for that matter, and anyone who denies him that honor, is anti-American, period.

The point is that it seems no matter how much African-Americans do, how much they achieve (even if we excel at the "same" schools that we were previously denied admission due to color), or how many barriers we break, we're not judged on a level playing field. It's almost as if there's a whisper saying, "Yeah, you're Ivy League educated, you're lawyers, you've gained respect in the community, but President...sigh...wake up and smell the coffee and go work for a firm, your sights are set too high!"

I think we can scoff at our scoffers now, whether they win or lose. READ Michelle's entire undergraduate senior thesis provided by http://www.politico.com/ and a condensed biography of Michelle.

Remember the words of Frederick Douglass, "Without struggle, there is no progress."

How Far We've Come

As a 30-year African-American male I am well aware that I do not have the frame of reference concerning the historicity of the African in America save the living memory of those who endured the struggle, books, and a host of TV documentaries.

I am living from the advantage of retrospect. I am a reaper of the benefits of more than 400-years of struggle. My generation is the living fulfillment of prophecy that came to pass in due time by the shedding of innocent blood.

I have the ability to look back, but it is vicarious in nature, and therefore leaves me at the point of sympathy only hoping to empathize with the struggles my predecessors in America. Even the label, title, ethnic designation of "African-American, is only a small peek into our struggle in this country.

It raises two serious questions. When did we become or are we now considered Americans? Why the designation African-American? For every minority there is a specific label that seems to almost make the point that you are what you are before you are an American and you will always be that. African-American, Latino-American, Asian-American, et al. Additionally, if you think about it, how we even got to be called African-Americans is a story all in itself that subsequent generations prior to the struggle have little or no appreciation for.

Am I proud to be an descendant of the great continent of Africa? I am now more than ever before. I am chagrined at the fact that those who are of European descent have never referred to themselves as English-American, Euro-American, British-American, but choose to place honor upon themselves as indigenous to this land. Bitter I am not, but enlightened and free from the darkness of ignorance I am...don't get it twisted.

I'm not waiting on my mule. I'm not not impatiently tapping my foot for my 40 acres. I'm not sitting here with Betty Boop eyes looking for a hand out, but I refuse to let my ancestors die in vain. I refuse to allow my God-given abilities, gifts, and talents to be squandered and beleaguered by the vicissitudes of the present while ignoring the achievements of the past that were designed to bridge a gap between "deferred dreams" and overcoming realities.

Many of us have differing positions on Barack Obama, but let's agree on one thing, he is somewhat the embodiment of what our people have fought for. When was the last time you drunk from a public water fountain long enough to feel a policeman's nightstick over your back, the slap to your face, or the voice that yelled, "Nigger, what are you doing?" When was the last time you were refused, not delayed, but refused service at a restaurant because of your pigmentation? When can you recall being told to move to the back of the bus because you're black? When was the last you doctored wounds from water hoses from a fire engine shooting out in excess of 40 mph at unguarded human flesh? These are questions that we should ruminate over and gain appreciation for what is currently taking place in America.

Recently, (even you staunch right-wingers must admit this) persons at Gov. Palin's rally's have desperately tried to force us to take steps backwards into the past with cries of "kill him", "he's a terrorist", and other things I deem inappropriate for this blog.

Amazingly, this has been excused as political passion not only by the RNC, but also by the McCain campaign.

My question to those of you who equate Christian fundamentalism with the Republican agenda, and are unapologetically African-American, how can you stand idly by and approve of this, while ignoring the great achievements of the man in question. Is this any different than justifying racism, slavery, hatred, unequal rights, disparity in the quality of education, etc? Throw down your partisan license, swallow your puritanical pride and look at the facts and see it for what it really is. While we're fighting over abortion rights and same-sex unions (again, don't get it twisted, I'm fighting for that too), we're ignoring the blood of our forefathers and fore-mothers that are crying out from numerous graves untold to acknowledge the validation of their sacrifice that is culminating (whether you like him or not...the Jews didn't like Jesus) in the person of Barack Obama. It's not a full culmination and I'm definitely not comparing Barack to Jesus, he ain't that, but it's something to acknowledge.

I beg you, look how far we've come.

Count It All Joy!

Many of you have already read this article and have provided very helpful comments on it, much of which I appreciate as this article is extremely transparent. For those of you who are just perusing through Blogger or check out my blog from time to time, know that I wrote this approximately December of last year and God provided some healing through it. Yes, it's all true and it's still healing me now. After this is up for a while, I've got some testimonies that I'll post that relate to the challenges my family was facing when I wrote this article. It was featured on www.blackgospel.com for about six months. Enjoy.

Yes! It was me. I admit it. I’ll be honest and candid. I won’t hold anything back, I won’t omit anything, and I’ll willingly provide a full confessional, the no-holds barred, unabridged, full-length version for your reading pleasure. Here goes: I got angry reading the Bible.

Okay, I said it. I got angry reading the Bible. Yes, the Bible! It was an unexpected eruption of emotions that dared to confront the belief system that I have adhered to unquestioningly my entire life. Unbeknownst to me, I had now officially entered a crossroads, a defining moment, the proverbial turning point, the colossal dark tunnel, where only definitive, hard-nosed decisions, based on faith, and irrespective of facts, can be made.

Before you examine me with your spiritual stethoscope, open the Jesus Pharmacy, and write enough scriptural prescriptions to induce a Holy Ghost overdose, allow me to explain myself.

Imagine your sister being sick with three (3) known diseases and two (2) unknown diseases, she’s rushed to the emergency room seventeen (17) times in one year, your mother is on the verge of being put on the street, your wife just gave birth to your child and the company she works for downsizes and lays her off, overtime is eliminated at your job, there’s a three-day eviction notice on your door, your mother-in-law is in her second battle with cancer, your doctor tells you that in your late 20’s you’ve got an enlarged prostate, you’re getting collection notices every other day in the mail, you’re borrowing food from friends, you receive cut-off notices for your electricity, gas, and water, financial promises are broken, outright lies are being spread about you, your best friend won’t return your calls, and then one day you read the book of James, chapter 1, verse 2, and a volcano of suppressed emotions erupts in a landslide of molten rock anger.

I can’t believe James had the audacity to say what he just said. I felt like asking, “Where are the cameras? Is he serious? Is this for real? Is this a cruel joke?” I sat there and shook my head in dismal disbelief. I distinctly remember silently shouting to the top of my soul, “Is this all? Is this the answer you have for me?”

For those of you who are not aware, in the Bible, in the New Testament, in a book called James, chapter 1, verse two, this apostle, who is believed to be the half-brother of Jesus Christ makes a statement that I’ve read a thousand times before, but this was the first time it induced anger.
I read it in the King James Version and it said, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” When I read it I didn’t like it. It didn’t at all appeal to me or seem to be an immediate remedy to my situation. So I thought, “Let me read it in another translation and maybe that will help. So I read it from the New Living Translation and this is what it said, “Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. That didn’t quite hit the spot either, so I decided to give it another try with another translation. Three times a charm, right?

This time I picked up the New International Version, the good ole NIV. This is what it said, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.”
I said to myself, “Okay, Okay, this is wearing a little thin. I’m running out of patience. My back is against the wall. It’s been one thing after another. I’m broke. I’m all out of ideas and I don’t know what to do. I need an answer and I need it now.” Something inside of me said, “Read the next verse.” And so I did. I read it in the New Living Translation and this is what is said, “For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” I was taken aback and so I read the next verse and this is what it said, “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”

As I sat there I began to ponder over what I had just read. Was James really suggesting to me that this enormous, gargantuan predicament that has blistered me from all sides should be considered something to be joyful about?

The answer came back to me, “Yes.” I said, “Yes?” The answer came roaring back, “Yes, be joyful…about ALL of it.” For some strange reason I started to laugh out loud. The proposition seemed so preposterous that no other emotion seemed to surface other than laughter. Then it hit me. I had allowed every other emotion to rise to the forefront including anger, fear, regret, bewilderment, doubt, terror, dread, apprehension, and even pride, but I suddenly realized I had never let joy have an opportunity to have a say. I went to the door of my soul. All of the lights were out. It was pitch black, the darkness revealing the decadence that had consumed me. I peeked through the peephole to see if joy was still there. She was. I became excited and so I tried to open the door and it wouldn’t open. I tried again. Nothing. I tried again. Nothing still. I became frustrated. What was going on? I read the scripture. I got message. What’s wrong? How do I let joy in?

I heard something whisper, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and enter his courts with praise.” Now, I don’t want to be too preacher-esque, I just want to tell you what happened. I didn’t feel like praising God and I didn’t want to either, and I didn’t necessarily find the situation that I was in joyful, but I just considered it joy anyway. To be honest there really wasn’t anything left to do; I had considered it pain, trouble, heartache, struggle, unfairness, mistreatment, and anything else negative my mind could think of. And at the time that’s all I could consider it because I was considering what I was experiencing in the present tense and not in the future tense of what God was doing

I never considered that God was working, that it was a test to bring me to another level, that it wasn’t a demotion, but a promotion, that the nest of my life was being shaken like a baby eagle, because it was time for me to fly, that God wasn’t angry with me, he was pleased with me and was using trouble to promote me. Have you ever considered that? If you do, you may find that you will be able to consider everything that you’re going through as joy. You may find that when you focus on what God has promised you instead of your present circumstances it will give happiness because regardless of the present situation, it will work out for your good. Count it all joy. I know it’s nothing to smile about, but smile anyway, the best is yet to come and the storm is almost over. Count it all joy. I know the easiest option is give up, but trust God anyway and you’ll discover that you will come out on top. Count it all joy. God will give you patience to endure. He’ll give you a second wind and most importantly he’ll give you peace as you go through it.

So start adding up all your troubles, all your pain, all your disappointments, all your heartaches, all your trials and tribulations, consider them joy because soon they will only be a memory that reminds you of how powerful, merciful and gracious God is.

Remember what the apostle Paul said in Romans 8:18, “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.”


Count it ALL joy.

Spiritual Identity Theft

This past Sunday at our 8:30 service I was afforded the privilege and grand opportunity to share the Word of God with our church again.

At exactly, 8:34 p.m., on Saturday evening, the 10th of October, I was sitting in a corner of Starbucks in Long Beach, CA reading required texts from my Modern Church History class, in preparation for writing a 7-page book review. The view I had was perfect. I could see everyone come in and I could watch everyone go out and I was close enough to the door, that if a robbery ensued, I could escape, virtually unscathed. Don't be so taken aback by my statement. Those indigenous to the "Westside", as it were, have difficulty admitting that there are imminent dangers here, especially in the heartland of Snoop-Doggy Dogg. Hey, I'm in self-preservation mode just like the rest of us...relax, I'm just kidding. I'M JUST KIDDING! (I know I'll get comments about that)

About 8:36 pm, I noticed my phone blinking. I didn't answer it at first because I noticed an elderly gentleman to my peripheral left fidgeting with the men's restroom door handle, not recognizing that it was obviously locked with someone in there. That was becoming rather annoying. I suppose he was waiting for that angel that rescued Paul and Silas out of jail in Acts 16 to open the door for him. Oh well, probably drunk too much coffee. By the way, the angel didn't show...sorry.

I then noticed an "out of order" sign on the women's restroom and a line of men and women begin to form close to my reading area. I then regretted the area I had chosen to sit. I noticed the phone was still blinking. Finally, I picked it up. It was my wife and she says, "Pastor just called and asked me did you know that you're supposed to preach in the morning." Immediately, I started laughing because 1) no one told me anything, and 2) my wife had sent me a text 20 minutes earlier asking me was I preaching for early morning service. I proceeded by verbally ordaining her as a New Testament prophetess!

I hung up with my wife to my daughter yelling, Daddy! Daddy! in the background. The feeling that produces cannot be contained in any vernacular, dialect, colloquialism, or otherwise. It is simply phenomenal. My next call was to my pastor and as soon as he knew it was me he proceeded to ask me would I have enough time to prepare for tomorrow and he apologized for the late notification. I told him, "You always told me to have a sermon in my head, my heart, and one in my bag, so I'm ready. He started laughing. He said, "Well, I just wanted to check."

It seemed immediately the Lord placed 2 Corinthians 11:4 on my mind. It reads, For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].

Immediately, I noticed three (3) things; another Jesus, another spirit, another gospel. So I had to ask myself some questions, who is Jesus, what is "the Spirit" and what is the Gospel among other pertinent questions that the text presents.

After I answered these questions (I know you want to know "how" I answered them, but this post is already too long, email me and I'll mail you the CD, seriously I will), it occurred to me that spiritual identity theft was transpiring in the body of Christ. I knew another Jesus, spirit, and gospel, was being presented, I just never thought about it in terms of identity theft.

The people were blessed and that's all that matters. It was hard not to close with Calvary on this one, I even whooped a little. :) I attend a black Southern Baptist Church and that doesn't happen often! I just had to bring a little of my COGIC upbringing in on this one!

I Decided to Know

No one should have witnessed as much in the church as I did at such an early age. Don't misunderstand my statement. It wasn't entirely negative, but it wasn't entirely positive either. From serving as an administrator at the tender of age 14 to years later in my collegiate experience watching evangelists whisper their phone numbers in women's ears pretending to prophecy a "word from God", I think I can safely say that I've seen it all; and if it's not all, it's enough to understand that ignorance is not bliss and that one must literally watch and pray.

From authentic to not so authentic, God has privileged me to experience a wide spectrum and array of the wonderful colors of Christendom. I've seen true-blue and ugly red, I've witnessed the power of God, and the empty fallacious, babblings of the high-minded scholar and the illogical and indiscernible rantings of the chaotically charismatic.

Fortunately, through the power and grace of God I was able to maintain integrity, sanity, and soundness of mind and allow these invaluable experiences to broaden my scope and expand my horizons. There were times when I was so angry at what I was witnessing that my vision narrowed and I almost fell prey to being consumed by internal indignation. It's the kind of anger that points out what everyone else is doing and issues you a "Get Out of Jail Free" card. What it forced me to do was to be candid and honest with myself as it relates to why I was preaching.

Was it to be considered among the scholarly elite? Was it to be among the spiritual gifted elite?

It was through the inevitable vicissitudes of life that I found myself enrolled in the University of Perfection, where God the Father is Chancellor, Jesus is President, and the Holy Spirit is Teacher that I began to learn about what it truly means to be an ambassador of Christ with respect to handling issues in the church.

It was at this time that I began to formulate my personal philosophy of ministry based on this verse, "For I decided to know nothing (emphasis mine) among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV)

I don't want to purport the idea that I'm heavenly bound and no earthly good, however, it was crucial and vital while in the infancy of my preaching ministry that I grasp the concept of who I was and whose I was, and what and who I was preaching for.

I'm well aware that in this passage Paul is defending his manner of preaching and in a sense, ultimately, his apostolic authority. So forgive me if I am somewhat "principilizing" the text (with due deference to the context) to make the point that when I preach, pray, sing, play, or whatever, I am doing my best to only be concerned that people know Jesus.

Existentialism-What It Means to Be

The basic idea of existentialism according to the North American Encarta Dictionary is: a philosophical movement that denies that the universe has any intrinsic meaning or purpose. It requires people to take responsibility for their own actions and shape their own destinies.

In layman's terms, what it means to be existential is to be increasingly concerned with what it means to be human, how to respond morally and ethically as a human with respect to the rest of the world, and to be aware of one's personal philosophy, that is, a person's self-chosen mode of existence as it relates to the world around them.

Well, maybe that wasn't exactly layman's terms, but you get the point. In my view, much of what is preached in the Protestant African-American tradition is existential. Not from the perspective of shaping our own destiny, but the African-American experience in this country has continually been the struggle to identify and distinguish ourselves as human beings. That type of preaching has been dubbed as "liberation theology." Its basic attempt is to somehow unshackle the psychological bondage brought on by physical enslavement. Read Carter G. Woodson's, "The Miseducation of the Negro."



This distinction can also be seen in the constant modification of the labeling of our ethnic group; -African-negro-nigger-black-African American-and even now on some employment applications "black" and "African-American" have been omitted and replaced by, "Not of Hispanic descent."



Ultimately, we find who are from God's Word, but we are still human and sometimes it helps to view this from an existentialist perspective as we seek to define where we are, who we are, and sometimes even why we are (for the deep Christians) and how we respond to the external surroundings.


I want to make it clear that I am not an existentialist as it relates to self-creation, external happiness absolute freedom, et al. I am simply looking at it from the point of view of human nature (which we know is depraved), however it is interesting to ponder.


I'll write more on this soon. Your comments are welcome.

I Got To Get Out of Here

Eclectic, diverse, different, zany, acutely extrovert, you may even call his style irreverent (although that would be a stretch too far), but whatever adjective you choose to label Tye Tribbett, there's one attribute that is undeniably present: anointing.

In the Old Testament the word anointing simply meant a mark or smear that was placed on someone to indicate to the community that the Spirit of God was resting upon that individual for a particular purpose. (In the New Testament all of us have that "mark", The Holy Spirit, who is the anointing of God, often referred to as the "seal")

With a smorgasbord of musical styles and genres that are intentionally, intricately, and masterfully woven together to produce a sound that is devoid of cultural and ethnic limitations, Tribbett's latest offering does not disappoint musically or lyrically.

My favorite song is "The Prodigal Son." Check out the lyrics here. There's a portion of this song where a certain diminished chord is used to reflect the feeling of the words, "I got to get out of here I got to get out of here, I wanna be with you."

The great thing about this song is that Tye takes you back to when he was that prodigal son. You can hear it in the lyrics. You can feel it in the music and instead of marveling at the lyrics and musical composition you find yourself engaged in self-reflection with the Spirit of God reminding you of the "hidden pig pens" of your own life. That's when music is anointed, when it moves past the outer court (the flesh), into the inner court (the soul), and on to where God speaks, the holy of holies (the spirit).

Times of Refreshing (Prayer Revival)

My tirade on the McCain-Palin campaign has officially ceased. Although, I have much to say about these new attacks against Barack, I will refrain and allow the remaining calendar days of this historic election to play out. I hope you watch the debate tonight. It should be very interesting. Now to the task at hand.

About two weeks ago our church hosted a Prayer Revival. Ever been in one of those? It's usually a 3-5 day biblical self-examination that poses several questions to each individual believer, "Where are you with God? Are you parlaying in his permissive will afraid to expose the hidden issues of the heart and missing the privileges of his perfect will? Do pet sins find safe haven in your refusal to confess your faults?

Not only does the revival focus on the negative, (I use that word loosely), but there is also a positive aspect that is to be observed - reconnecting to God in prayer. At times all of us need a recharging of sorts, a jump start, an external inspiration, to get us going again. It helps us get down to the real concerns in our lives and reminds us, "that we have not because we ask not."

The apostle James asked in his epistle, "Why are there quarrels and wars among you?" The answer is simple: it comes from the desires within us. We ask mama, grandma, best friend, sister, brother, etc. for what we want and when they don't deliver, watch out! Finally, we come to our senses and ask God.

In closing, it was a chance for our whole church to look at ourselves, our shortcomings, our needs, our relationship with God, and the privilege we have to come to him...it indeed was a "personal" revival.

Sarah Palin IS NOT QUALIFIED!

I'm speechless after reading these articles. I have no idea what to say. From a purely intellectual standpoint, has America become so desensitized that the obvious and apparent is ignored to the point that it's actually a good thing?

Usually, I would say read and enjoy, but you won't enjoy this, but read it anyway. I know I'll be called a sexist, a bigot, and a number of other things, but that's okay because this is getting ridiculous; Sarah Palin IS NOT QUALIFIED!

Palin Doesn't Need to Pass IQ Test at Tonight's Debate

Palin Needs to Put Country First by Stepping Down

Nothing to Say

The Struggles of Sarah Palin

I know it's a lot to read, but it's worth it.

I know I haven't been writing real articles lately, but expect a few real soon.

Here's a link to some very funny cartoons about Sarah Palin.

Stop the Insanity

There are times when things are laughable, derisory, and just downright preposterous. Reason and logic have been abandoned for the changing tide and the sweeping winds of redundancy and the uncommon ability to avoid making any sense whatsoever.

This morning while I was making my normal commute to work I began to listen to KPCC 89.3 FM the NPR station here in Southern California. (also 89.9 FM) The host had Senator John McCain on to answer some questions about the bailout plan and his vice-presidential running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin. Here's a transcript of the interview. I am convinced that Senator McCain has mastered the art of telling a lie. Check out a portion of the interview.

NPR: Given what you’ve said Senator, is there an occasion where you could imagine turning to Governor Palin for advice in a foreign policy crisis.

MCCAIN: I’ve turned to her advice many times in the past, I can’t imagine turning to Senator Obama or Senator Biden because they’ve been wrong. They were wrong about Iraq, wrong about Russia –

I wonder how many times you have turned to her. Admittedly, you've only known her six weeks. After 27 years in the Senate, bi-partisan experience out the nose, a world traveler respected by numerous foreign leaders and you let someone you've known for six weeks advise you many times about foreign policy. I guess she sees more than Russia outside her window.

NPR: But would you turn to Governor Palin?

MCCAIN: I certainly wouldn’t turn to them, and I’ve already turned to Governor Palin particularly on energy issues and I’ve appreciated her background and knowledge on that and many other issues.

Wow! Couldn't and wouldn't answer the question, then just flat-out lies about this woman's importance in his campaign. He knows he has never asked her anything.

Folks if McCain is elected and dies...well my mother used to say, "You thought like "Lit". You gotta be REAL old school to know what I'm talking about to get that.

Back to School

In the fall of 2001 prior to the terrorist act in NYC, I received a call from the chaplain at Langston University. I had just graduated that summer while simultaneously working as a Senior Counselor for the Upward Bound program. The message went something like this:

"Dan, I hope all is well. Last night Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa and Langston University finalized a bridge program for graduating seniors who are interested in pursuing a graduate theological education. They asked did we have a candidate and last night we officially offered you a full scholarship in your absence."

Obviously, this was a surreal moment and of course I accepted. I was only there until the summer of 2002 and then I moved to Los Angeles. I'll give you the details of why at a later time. I was 23 then, I'm 30 now.

God has seen fit to bless me again. Today, I will begin my second go-a-round with theological education at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA. I have received substantial financial aid from the seminary and from the African-American church Studies Department. Due to my work schedule, I'll only be able to take two classes this quarter, but God is good.

Please pray that I'm able to honor God with all A's!

The X-Factor: Judgment

Normally, I would not divest my candidate of choice during an election season, but this is a special election and I feel like breaking out of the box of normalcy. Unless Barack Obama is the most deceitfully ingenious person in the 20th century, with respect to Sen. John McCain's war record, his years in the Senate, etc., Barack Obama is the best hope for this country.

Hillary touted her experience. McCain is touting his experience. However, the the X-factor that continues to surface in the eyes of the American people as our economic future is uncertain, our health care is in disarray, education is dangling from the bottom rungs of society, and an average of $10 billion per month is being spent on war that was justifiably questionable from inception, it is judgment, foresight, and insight, not experience that this country needs.

Good judgment is a product of experience, but is not guaranteed. Sometimes you get stuck in the past, unconsciously self-imposing limitations and restrictions that hinder progress and innovation. I believe John McCain loves this country. I appreciate his moral conservatism and his risk-taking disposition, but his plans for this country will inevitably cease America from being the front-runner in the free world.

History teaches us that no world power (Greece, Rome, Babylon, Assyria, Germany, Europe, Egypt, etc.) has ever lasted more than 250 years. America is 232 years old. Not only do we have more time, we've got a chance to break the record and I choose to have hope that we will.

USC Lost...and I'm Loving It!

Freshman Jacquizz Rodgers helped the Beavers pull off another stunner -- and Southern California was the victim again.

Rodgers ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns, and Oregon State built a 21-point first-half lead before capitalizing on a late turnover and upsetting the Trojans 27-21 on Thursday night.

Those are not my words, but the words of the Associated Press. However, I loved every bit of it. I like it how every year the claim the Trojans are so good, so refined, so advanced that they could beat the Raiders, they could beat the Chief and so on. Well, maybe so, but they couldn't beat Oregon State last night now could they?

A writer for the Press-Telegram in Long Beach (can't remember his name) was publicly ridiculed for voting USC 3 or 4 in the polls a few weeks ago. He wrote an article about it. It's a great read and you should take the time to look it up. I remember him explicitly stating that it is incredulous to stamp the label "unbeatable" or "invincible" after two games into the season. The sporting world acted as if he was blind, deaf, and dumb.

I wonder what they will say now. Now even Ray Charles can see it and Stevie don't have to wonder. You'll get that when you get home.

Barack Obama-The Man

In Martin Luther King's 1963 book Strength to Love, he uttered what I consider to be one of the greatest phrases in human history. He said, "The ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

I am impressed at Obama's response to John McCain's attempt at political one up-manship during the most stress economic time in the U.S. since 1929. We do not need our Presidential candidates in Washington. In 40 days we will have a new President. We need to know how the next president will lead this country and we need to know now. I don't think this can be overstated.

Admittedly, I do not remember Barack Obama's speech the Democratic National Convention in 2004. Undoubtedly, those of us who do not consider politics or the policies lawmakers write until election season had to be reintroduced to this 1st term senator from the state of Illinois. He's fiery, passionate, charming, handsome, and has God-given oratorical ability we haven't witnessed since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here are some great articles about the person of Barack Obama for your perusal.

The Five Faces Barack Obama

For Obama, Race Remains Elephant in the Room

Barack Obama: The Man I Know

Who Is Barack Obama?
Bill Clinton: Barack Obama is the Man for this Job

Also, please express your thoughts on these photos. What do they say to you?

Friends

If you went to Langston University during the years of 1996-2001 then you know who the man to the left is. That's Bryan Edward Hilburn. (Yeah, I had to put his middle name out there like that)

Wherever you saw Bryan you saw me and vice-versa. We were introduced to each other in the fall of 1996 at Langston University as freshmen. We immediately formed a bond. When I met Bryan he was not a believer and had been to church only a handful of times in his life.

However, he did believe that there was a a God, he just was not a follower of Jesus. I want to make that clear. He wasn't some atheist walking around saying there was no God. He actually had accepted the major tenants of Christianity, but surprisingly, no one had ever shared the gospel with him. That all changed in the spring of 1997. God saved him and he hasn't looked back since.

This man is my friend. We first pledged a Christian fraternity together. We pledged a secular fraternity together. We preached our first sermons on the same night. We're not even friends, we're brothers. We would pray together. I mean really pray. We fasted together. We even almost literally died together. (I'll have to tell you about that one day)

FAST FORWARD!!!!!

In October of 2002, I moved to Los Angeles. My girlfriend at the time (now wife) was working at Warner Bros. and met a young lady by the name of Tiffany Moore. About two or so years after that my wife's twin sister moved to Atlanta where Bryan was already staying. Not too long after that Tiffany moved to Atlanta from Los Angeles and stayed with my sister-in-law.

FAST FORWARD!!!!!

Then she met Bryan. (We won't say how, there is discrepancy between me and my sister-in-law over the referral fee) A year later they're married. Look at that wedding photo! Amazing! Couldn't have happened to two better people!

Love you guys!

It's Gettin' Hot in Here...

But please don't take off all your clothes, just take the blinders off and see what this country has really come to.

Tonight, at approximately 9:01 pm. ET, President Bush will address the nation on the urgent need for a $700 billion bail out. The speech is scheduled to last less than 15 minutes. The irony of this bail out speech is the individual who is rendering it.

President George W. Bush, Jr., erased a $300 billion surplus brought on by the Clinton administration. He engaged us in a 7-year war with seemingly no end in sight. Under his administration consumers became victim to predatory lending, those who make above $250,000/yr received greater tax breaks than the middle class, funding for education has been dramatically reduced, and now our financial system is at the brink of Depression.

And if you haven't heard, John McCain (Mr. Country First) wants to suspend his campaign and forgo the Presidential debate on Friday to go work on the crisis in Washington instead of coming up with a plan as a presidential candidate and inform the American people what he will do to fix this mess.

Admittedly, it's one of the best political 1-ups I've seen in my short 30 years, but it's nothing more than a photo-op. It's a statement to get ahead in the polls. At the most critical time in our country in almost 80 years, we've still got people with self-serving missions while people perish.

How close are we to a recession? A depression? I've heard and read so many different views I don't even know anymore. All I know is that the nation that forgets God...

Time to start praying harder and invoke 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Why Congress Objects To The Bailout Plan

This is a great article on www.npr.org. Let's stay informed folks. This goes beyond who we want to be President. This is the future that we're establishing for our children and children's children. Now of course, we know where our help comes from, but we want to be able to pray on target and so it is vital and critical that we know and understand the issues in our country.

How to Identify a False Prophet-Pt.3

I thought I'd end our pictorial journey with a picture of Abraham. The picture was painted with God's call of Abraham in mind. I felt that way when God called me 10 years ago.

Now to the task at hand. I pray it helps you in your discernment. I've attached a PDF document that serves as a test for false teachers. My mama always used to say, "If the snake bites you the first time, it's the snake's fault. If he bites you the second time, it's your fault."

Moral: No matter how charismatic, how gifted, or how convincing the individual is, if they don't pass the biblical test, there are no gray areas; you have to judge them as either false or true.

False Teachers are Men Pleasers

Every encounter I've ever had with a false teacher/prophet has embodied this characteristic. They preach what people want to hear. Whatever brings the crowds, whatever brings in the money, whatever it takes to increase their popularity, they say it without any regard to the sacredness of Scripture. They seem to be content to proclaim whatever makes people feel good for the moment. If it's the promise of a new house, a new car, more money, a new husband, a new wife, a new job, or whatever, if people are buying, then they will sell it. Look out for this quality. Does the minister avoid subjects such as sin and repentance? Does he promise blessings without responsibility, accountability, and without regard to a person's lifestyle? If you find this to be true, this is a strong indication that he/she is a pleaser of men and is not hearing from God. If you witness this characteristic take the prophet Jeremiah's advice.

False Teachers Are Greedy

This characteristic is easy to spot out. However, let me point something out. There's is nothing wrong with money. There's nothing wrong with having a lot of it. It's what you do with the money and what you allow the money to do to you. As a Christian, if you see money as more than a tool that provides access to advance the kingdom of God, provide for your household, and help those less fortunate, then you've missed the purpose of money. If you think that advancing the kingdom is getting a new zip code, then you've really got issues. Scripture plainly states that the kingdom of God is not meat or drink, but love, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit.

Money is not evil, however, the love of money is. If you ever want to see who a person really is, give them more money than they've ever had, and whoever that person really is will be magnified by money, because money provides access to accomplish the pleasures of a man's heart. In other words, the reason the scripture states that money is the root of ALL evil is because if there's evil in you, money will draw it out and put it on public display.

Does the teacher talk about money in relationship to being obedient to God? Does he equate governed donations to the church as the primary way to obey God? Should you give? Yes! It can be an indication of your yielded-ness to God. However, to give out of fear and obligation is wrong.

I'll end with some information from one of the best Bible expositors known to mankind, John MacArthur. Here's a link to his ministry.

False teachers are proud

They are concerned for their own popularity. They are concerned for their own fame. They are concerned for their own notoriety. They are concerned for their own prestige. They’re concerned to see themselves and hear themselves in the public eye. They want large crowds, as it were, to bow down in great homage to them. They’re characterized by pride and they will do anything to gain the ground they need to gain for the welfare of their own personal ego, including any amount of compromise necessary.

False teachers are characterized by selfishness

They tend to be self-centered. They are concerned for their own comfort. They are concerned for their own popularity. They are concerned for their own prosperity. In the end, it’s all about money, fame, and prestige and notoriety equals an increased bank account. They are in it for the money and the personal material benefits that they can gain as they endeavor to feed their selfish desires.

False teachers are characterized by deception T

They usually can weave a very sophisticated web of deception in their teaching because they tend to be articulate, if they’re going to be successful, and they endeavor to engage other people to aid them in their deceitful enterprise which gives it the, sort of, facade of credibility.

False teachers are irreverent

If there’s anything that sort of dominates in my thinking about false teachers, it is their irreverence. They have absolutely no regard for God. The fact that they would go against God, that they would elevate themselves the way they do, that they would pervert the truth indicates their utter irreverence. They have little, if any, regard for God, His Word, His truth, His glory, His honor…

False teachers are spiritually destructive

They seek to use people; they seek to abuse people. They seek to lead people into error, which destroys them—into sin, which pollutes them.

So, as you look at false teachers with regard to the world, they are proud and they seek fame and popularity. With regard to themselves, they are self-centered, selfish, self-aggrandizing, self-gratifying. With regard to the nature of their ministry, they are dishonest and deceptive and lack integrity. With regard to God, they are utterly irreverent; in fact, they are blasphemous. And, with regard to the people that they influence, they are spiritually destructive. So, their relationship to the world, their relationship to the ministry, their relationship to themselves, their relationship to God, their relationship to their people all reflects the deviation of their hearts.”

John F. MacArthur Jr., Concerns of a True Pastor: Humility and Selflessness, 1998

How to Identify a False Prophet-Pt.2

The picture to the left is an artist's depiction of the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a true prophet of the Lord.

On last time we ended our conversation talking about the fact that salvation is a work of the Spirit of God. We briefly looked at Ephesians 1:13-14. Let's pick up where we left off.

After an individual places his trust in Christ subsequent to hearing the gospel message, belief in Christ is birthed, immediately following that sequence of events, that person is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. (I am itching to deal with the promise of the Holy Spirit and the significance of its sealing, but it will take me somewhere I don't want to go, I digress...argh!)

This begs the question, when does an individual receive the Holy Spirit? Because if I don't have it then I am not able to claim that he will lead and guide me into all truth. I will be just as susceptible to error as I am to truth and I will ultimately be left up to my own will to choose what is right. If that is the case then inevitably I will choose a path that is contrary to the will of God because I cannot do anything in my flesh (of my own effort) that will please God. In fact without the Holy Spirit, I can't even claim Jesus as Savior. See here and here.

Clearly, we see that this doctrine is fundamentally implausible and subjects one to eventual legalism. We could go further, but we won't. Our subject is how to identify false teachers and prophets and the focus of this discourse of preface was to ensure you that you DO have the Holy Spirit if you have been purchased by the blood of Jesus, now it's time to learn how to employ his function as Helper.

Jesus stated in Matthew 12:33 that we will know the tree by the fruit that it bears. In short, what people do and say reveals who they really are. At one point or another a person's REAL character will show up. How many relationships were we in and found that out? I always said before I got married that my wife not only had to be a good thing, but she had to bring me favor! If she brought hell, she wasn't the one! With that in mind we want to look at the the characteristics of a false teacher/prophet. It is in his characteristics that we will be able to discern if he is of the Lord. Stay tuned for part 3.

How to Identify a False Prophet-Pt.1

This is how most people look when they find out they've been duped by a false teacher/prophet. Now, I'm no head hunter, but I am sincerely convinced that God's people are perishing for the lack of knowledge and need to be equipped with tools to protect themselves against the devices of the enemy. Identifying false teaching, knowing it when you see it, and protecting yourself with the truth of the Word of God is important to the spiritual life and vitality of the Christian.

Firstly, I want to remind you that you have been given the Holy Spirit when you trusted Christ as Savior and Lord. One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to lead and guide us into all truth. There are many who continue to purport the ideology that salvation and the receiving of the Holy Spirit are separate and distinct experiences. I want to take a few moments and debunk that myth and a few others.

Normally, you wouldn't witness me engage in futile spiritual debates, however, this does not fall under the category of an exercise in futility. Identifying false teaching is an essential doctrine in the New Testament writings and an individuals ability to discern truth from error could be a strong factor in determining the authenticity of their conversion. Doctrine is essential and paramount to salvation and Christian growth. The wrong theology can have eternal consequences.

Salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14 explicitly reveals the truth of this statement. Let us follow the compass. Paul is explaining to the Gentile Christians at Ephesus how salvation actually took place for them. He makes it plain that their trust in Christ came immediately following their hearing the word of truth, which he calls the "gospel of their salvation." They could not trust in Christ until they actually heard of Christ. Lately, there are many that are saying that even if persons do not hear the gospel as long as they intellectually accept that Christ died for them they will receive eternal life. That's about as true as me saying that if I jump off the Wells Fargo building in downtown Los Angeles I'll grow wings and fly.

People do not know that they are sinners. They don't know that they are alienated from the life of God. They don't know that even though God loves them if they do not accept the sacrifice of Jesus as the subsititutionary payment of their sin debt in full, God will judge them according to His law (10 commandments), if they are not found to be perfect in following that law, they will spend an eternity apart from God in a place called Hell.

People do not know that they are lost. They have to hear the gospel to know that. In order to convince people that they need justification, you first have to prove to them that they are condemned. Before anyone can truly be saved, he first has to know that he is in danger. Before a man can be found, he first has to be lost. Does that make sense?

Paul continues on and says that after you trusted Christ based on the gospel you heard then something miraculous happens that only the Holy Spirit can do...you believe. No man can believe on his own. We don't have the power to believe God. I know that may sound strange to some of you, but it's the truth. Unless God opens up your understanding and enables your will, you will not understand, and you will not believe.

Until next time...

Are We in the Last Days?

If you ask most pastors what biblical subject stimulates the most interest from their respective congregations, you will find that without hesitation they will tell you that out of all the themes of the Bible, end time prophecy is the most requested biblical study.

There is a particular interest in Southern California due to the sudden experience of a 5.4 magnitude earthquake, with the promise of the BIG ONE to come in the next 30 years or less, pointed questions concerning life, death, and various spiritual subjects have begun to arise and it’s a perfect opportunity to present the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a dying world.

With that in mind, I have asked Dr. Trevor Johnson, pastor of Christ Tabernacle Baptist Church in Long Beach, CA to come aboard for this article to give us some insight into why Christians find end time prophecy so intriguing and also to get his personal view on where the world is on God’s timetable.

Rev. Trevor L. Johnson, a serious student of God’s Word and a professor of New Testament Studies for New Life Online Seminary, is what I consider to be an authority concerning end time matters, and possesses a unique ability to open the understanding of many who were mystified about the book of Revelation and other prophetic books in the Bible. He has always deemed it of great importance that we understand the times that we live in. When asked if we were in the midst of the last days, among other questions related to this topic, the answers he rendered require thoughtful pondering and remind us of the sovereignty of God.

Rev. Dan Thomas: Pastor Johnson, as a pastor who is charged to sound the alarm and to be a watchman on the wall, do you think we are in the last days?

Pastor Trevor Johnson: Personally, I believe that we are living in the last days. The true question is how long do the last days last? If we knew the answer to that question, then we could more definitely declare if we are indeed in them.

RDT: It seems in every generation, particularly when we are transitioning from one generation to the next, that there is a crescendo of interest in the “end times.” Why do you think this is?

PTJ: Every generation comes into a revelatory knowledge of last day times based upon biblical truth and current events. With each perception of world events and interpretation of scripture we all believe that the end must be closer than we think, especially based on Matt. 24:44. Even the early Christians were under the impression that they too were living in the last days so this may be a normal mindset given the warning in Matt. 24:44 alone.

RDT: It seems as if you are saying that it is incumbent upon every Christian generation to have an expectation of Jesus Christ’s return. From a pastoral perspective do you see the global church as expectant of Christ’s return?

PTJ: Indeed it is critical and imperative that we continue to be in expectation of the Lord's return. In my opinion I think the church at large is in the state of mind of expecting Him to return soon, just as the 1st Century church. Any believer who is not in such expectancy is like the 5 of the 10 virgins who were found unprepared and consequently "shut out."

RDT: With end time talk in the air, obviously, the book of Revelation comes into play. In your opinion, why does this book fascinate the minds of the Christian and non-Christian alike?

PTJ: It could be because it is not a typical book out of which most sermons are preached, also there is not very much exegetical teaching out of that book, and by far it is the most mystical book of the Bible. So we are fascinated by the mystery of the book...particularly because it is prophetic to our day!

RDT: As we are experiencing difficult times in our country and things seem to be worsening by the minute, what admonition would you give believers today to avoid apathy, discouragement, and falling into the snare of unbelief?

PTJ: If we are to remain steadfast and unmovable then it is absolutely critical to take hold of the promise that HE WILL RETURN. Although it is easy to get caught up in the current global events as well as personal dilemmas, we must understand that Jesus warned and admonished us how to conduct ourselves and to continue in well doing during the most horrific times in world history. As times get worse, we must pray more intensely, study more passionately, and walk more circumspectly and continue to win the world for Him as we see the day dawning!

RDT: Okay last question. Do you think we are the last century of mankind?

PTJ: There is a good chance that we are indeed the last century but of course, this is my subjective opinion.

RDT: Pastor Johnson thanks so much for your timely input and insight.

PTJ: It was my pleasure. God bless.

Okay let’s summarize. The truth is that no one knows when it will all be over. Even our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ stated that it was not given to him to know, only the Father.

The end is sure and it is definitely near. How near? No one really knows. The objective is to be ready at all times because it could be anytime.

The apostle Peter said that, “A day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day.” Peter did not mean this literally, but was using hyperbolic language to set at ease the minds of believers who had become impatient concerning the Lord’s return. He was trying to teach them that the Lord’s time is not our time and what seems to be an elongated lapse of time to us was just one day ago to God.

However, it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a positive expectation when believers were facing such intense persecution, even death, for proclaiming the Lord’s name and so it was vitally necessary for Peter to write to them to encourage them to “be alert, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.”

It’s when we understand this that we cease to wonder about when he will come back and shift into a focused mode of preparation to be ready to meet him at whatever time he has foreordained to return for his church. The trials won’t stop. The struggles won’t stop. The pain won’t cease and the persecutions won’t come to and end, but we can maintain a positive expectancy knowing that God always will make good on his promises. Always.

Remember the words of the Apostle Paul to the Romans, “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.