Ancient Paths Blog

Those Who Truly See

In my sermon yesterday, The Transforming Power of Seeing Jesus, I proposed that our ultimate transformation into glorified saints will be the result of seeing Jesus with our physical eyes.  Even as the apostle John says,

How the Church is Responsible for Homosexuality

Most evangelicals read Paul's words against homosexuality in Romans 1 approvingly, automatically assuming a clearly cut black and white distinction between "us" and "them."  But a closer reading of his words imply a rebuke toward Christians.  In fact, Paul implicates the Church in the rise of homosexuality every bit as much as the secular culture.  How? Two ways...

You Do the Math.

Here's something a little less text-intensive but still provocative...

It's entitled "40 Million Minutes" and is from an e-newsletter I receive periodically from Daniel Henderson's prayer/revival ministry Strategic Renewal.

The average person lives 77 years.  That equates to 28,000 days = 670,000 hours, or 40 million minutes!

The average person spends 24 minutes a day getting dressed.  That equals 13 hours a month = 7 days a year, or 1 year in a lifetime.

The average person spends 40 minutes a day on the phone.  That factors out to 20 hours a month = 10 days a year, or 2 years in a lifetime.

The average person spends 1 hour a day in the bathroom.  This amounts to 30 hours a month = 15 days a year, or 3 years in a lifetime.

The average person spends 3 hours a day watching television.  That's 90 hours a month = 45 days a year, or 9 years in a lifetime.

The average Christian spends less than 10 minutes a day in prayer.  That equates to less than 6 hours a month = 3 days a year, or 7 months in a lifetime!

You do the math...

Is anyone surprised that the American Church has about as much spiritual influence on our culture as Zoroastrianism?

The Ridiculous Ways of God

"Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites.  No one went out and no one came in.  Then the LORD said to Joshua, 'See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.  March around the city once with all the armed men.  Do this for six days.  Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark.  On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.  When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.'"  Joshua 6:1-5

From the vantage point of history Joshua was a brilliant military strategist and tactician.  We wonder then what his reaction was as he received the instructions from God for the siege of Jericho.  Even to someone unfamiliar with the art of war it is obvious that objectives are not taken by simply walking around them, in full view of the enemy, with no weapons.  It is nothing short of ridiculous!  But that is the viewpoint of the world, not of faith.  Joshua proceeded by faith, supernatural power was released, and the city was taken.

Yet how many of us insist that the church function according to the ways of the world?  We laugh at the ways of faith in God for they often appear ridiculous.  Or we pay lip service to them by tacking on a prayer to a plan that our own wisdom has devised.  But when it comes to putting it into practice our plans fall flat for lack of power.  Christians - let's get serious.  God is the commander in chief and we are to do things His way and in His strength - even when they seem ridiculous!