I jus got back from a small group with a bunch of guys, which was pretty sweet. It's great to have christian brothers that know how to be vulnerable and honest with each other. It seems like most people walk around lugging their baggage with them. It's great to just unload and have people to pray with.
In psychology, they study all about the behavior. Studying how to modify behavior helps, but Christianity cuts to the core issue of why we turn to sin. The condition is of the heart. We only observe behaviors because it's what we can see. But below is a gigantic iceberg that needs to be dealt with. Bringing all our shame, guilt, low self-esteem, addictions, pride, pain, regret, depression, loneliness, anxieties, failures, and heartache to the light is the only way we can really be true with ourselves and with God.
The cool thing is that God sees all our sins and still loves us. He sees us for who we really are. Stop hiding behind your false self and find your identity in Christ. See yourself how God sees us. He values us more than the moon and the stars. We no longer have to live in bondage to our sins. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. God is relentlessly chasing and pursuing us. He desires and invites us into the most intimate love. No one else can offer such an authentic, amazing and unconditional love. No other source can offer such peace, satisfaction, hope, grace, redemption, transformation and salvation. Jesus is the solution, because in Him is life.
Some of us went to see a premier of Jaeson Ma's 1040 movie. That was cool since Biola was one of the first schools it was released to. I didn't realize how much is going on in Asia. It was inspiring to see thousands and thousands of people praying and worshiping. There really is a mass awakening going on in Asia right now, and they really do play a strategic role in spreading the gospel.
God recently pressed on me that I am doing exactly what He has called me to do. I am training to equip and disciple others. I realized even more so, that our church today is in need of correct, biblical, and sound doctrine. Many are being led astray by false teachings, idols, cults, and religions because we have distorted our view of God and misinterpreted His Word. I realized that I am to invest my life drawing from His infinite source and to be pouring out the power of His Spirit. The world is in dire need for the truth of Jesus and the love of God. We are to reach families, children, the rich, the poor, all people, from all nations.
I am definitely thankful for the blessing of education. Even tho it's super duper hard. I see Talbot as training grounds, preparing me to lead, save, nourish, teach and minister. I can see how God is equipping me to build and strengthen His church in faith and worship. The church will become a place for restoration, comfort, and healing. Many Christians are planted, but not many are rooted. There are tons of young Christians who are spiritually dry. We need to be drawing from the well of His living water. The more we abide in Him and the deeper we cultivate the Holy Spirit, the more we'll overflow with God's powerful love. God is Good.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
The Raw Truth of Altar Calls
copied this from a friend's blog
Danger #1:
Individuals can easily be led to believe that their trip down the aisle during “alter call” is somehow equal to salvation. The public act of going forward can intimately associated with the genuine act of faith that confusion result. People begin to believe that they are saved by this act rather than by Christ.
Danger #2
Requiring a public act at the point of salvation can lead a person to think they have done something to get salvation, which compromises the doctrine of grace.
Danger #3:
"Alter calls" can lead to an over-emphasis on the public aspect of decisions. But a public decision for Christ is not always a reliable indictor of true conversion. In fact it is usually the opposite. History has repeatedly shown that public decisions frequently prove to be quite unreliable as barometers of genuine conversions. And Scripture itself teaches that the fruits of true conversion will only be evident in the life of a believer over time.
Danger #4:
"Alter calls" can eclipse the real cause of conversion. The real cause is not the decision or the appeal or the walking of an aisle nor the sinners prayer nor the felt emotion of the moment as emotional music is softly played in the background. True conversion is caused by THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, who draws some to believe as the Gospel is proclaimed. And that will happen whether or not an "alter call" is given.
Danger #5:
Some churches think that they are evangelistic merely because they use "alter calls." But, in reality, many churches are lulled into an evangelistic passivity where their only attempts at evangelism as a church are the "altar calls" at the end of each service. Many of which are so diluted and unbiblical in their presentation of the whole gospel that they are consistently fruitless, regardless of how many people come forward and appear to receive Christ.
Danger #6:
The historical record is indisputable; alter calls(started in 1800’s) have produced mischief.
Gospel presentations have grown increasingly diluted, much shorter and less complete, false conversions have become epidemic in the modern church, and God’s truth and way are being maligned as a result. And countless thousands have been led into emotional response without a clear understanding of just what they’re doing. As a result of this: false conversions have abounded.
2 Corinthians 13:5 says "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.
Danger #1:
Individuals can easily be led to believe that their trip down the aisle during “alter call” is somehow equal to salvation. The public act of going forward can intimately associated with the genuine act of faith that confusion result. People begin to believe that they are saved by this act rather than by Christ.
Danger #2
Requiring a public act at the point of salvation can lead a person to think they have done something to get salvation, which compromises the doctrine of grace.
Danger #3:
"Alter calls" can lead to an over-emphasis on the public aspect of decisions. But a public decision for Christ is not always a reliable indictor of true conversion. In fact it is usually the opposite. History has repeatedly shown that public decisions frequently prove to be quite unreliable as barometers of genuine conversions. And Scripture itself teaches that the fruits of true conversion will only be evident in the life of a believer over time.
Danger #4:
"Alter calls" can eclipse the real cause of conversion. The real cause is not the decision or the appeal or the walking of an aisle nor the sinners prayer nor the felt emotion of the moment as emotional music is softly played in the background. True conversion is caused by THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, who draws some to believe as the Gospel is proclaimed. And that will happen whether or not an "alter call" is given.
Danger #5:
Some churches think that they are evangelistic merely because they use "alter calls." But, in reality, many churches are lulled into an evangelistic passivity where their only attempts at evangelism as a church are the "altar calls" at the end of each service. Many of which are so diluted and unbiblical in their presentation of the whole gospel that they are consistently fruitless, regardless of how many people come forward and appear to receive Christ.
Danger #6:
The historical record is indisputable; alter calls(started in 1800’s) have produced mischief.
Gospel presentations have grown increasingly diluted, much shorter and less complete, false conversions have become epidemic in the modern church, and God’s truth and way are being maligned as a result. And countless thousands have been led into emotional response without a clear understanding of just what they’re doing. As a result of this: false conversions have abounded.
2 Corinthians 13:5 says "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.
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