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| The July 2001 Pneuma Informer |  |
The July 2001 Pneuma Informer In this Issue:
Pentecostals Have Biblical Beliefs Recent research by Barna Research demonstrates that Americans attending classical Pentecostal churches (such as the Assemblies of God and Foursquare) are more likely to have biblical beliefs than those attending a church of any other denomination are. Of those categorized by denomination in the survey, only non-denominational church attendees were nearly as likely to believe basic Bible doctrines such as the sinlessness of Jesus, the accuracy of the Bible, heaven cannot be earned by good works, the reality of Satan, and the all-powerfulness of God. See the full article here: Barna Research Online By H. Murray Hohns I went to my first Pentecostal World Conference in 1967. It was held in Rio de Janeiro, and the local churches in Brazil put a great deal of work into making that conference an occasion to long remember. I continued to attend PWC's after that, and I traveled 2500 miles to Los Angeles at the end of May to take part in this year's conference. The conferences are held every three years. Thousands of men and women God has raised up in the Pentecostal movement come together to celebrate what God has done, and to plan how to better bring the gospel in the power of the Spirit to the world. The central point that God brought to me over and over during this year's conference was that the Pentecostal church is a multicultural worldwide move of God. This movement is not focused on North America or the West, however that portion—my portion—of the world shares in the blessing that God has brought and is yet bringing. God is saving thousands of people every day in parts of the world that are often classified as "third world" countries. Pray for a similar Pentecostal outpouring in our land. I have seen what is happening below the equator, and we need that touch here where we live. I have watched people race to get to the altar first so that they could receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and not have to wait in a long line to receive this marvelous gift. The conference combined workshops and plenary sessions, far too many to attend all that appealed to each of us that were there. These workshops were taught by leading men and women from all kinds of Pentecostal and charismatic backgrounds from many different cultures and nations. David Yonggi Cho was a presenter at two workshops. Other familiar presenters included Grant McClung, Wayne Cordeiro, David Petts, Adam Villarreal, Tommy Walker, Dick Eastman, Ed Silvoso, Vinson Synan, John Williams, Che Ahn, Jack Hayford, Roger Stronstad, Keith Phillips and more. I left with my bag filled with tapes from the conference that currently make my daily early morning walk something to anticipate. I was fascinated by the teaching of Doug Oss who has built a vibrant Pentecostal congregation of 300 within eyeshot of the Mormon Temple in downtown Salt Lake City. His is a brilliant mind versed in the reality of the invisible. Suzette Hattingh, an associate evangelist with Reinhold Bonnke, spoke at a morning plenary session. I remember she digressed at one point in her talk and mentioned to the audience that Mr. and Mrs. Bonnke were the Godliest people she had ever known. Wow! Those words caught me. Do people who know you well, who work with you and for you, say this about you and your spouse? Think on that. The conference had so many highlights that I could go on and on, but I must mention two memorable presentations before I close. Ken Ulmer, Pastor of Central Faithful Bible Church in Los Angeles taught that your theology of God will ultimately determine your theology of healing. He went on to expound on Christ's passion for healing, something that touched all in attendance. I sat in awe as I listened to utter Spirit-led genius. Ulmer has a fertile mind and the vocabulary and brilliance to bring his anointed thoughts into the hearts of all who can hear his voice. His Central Faithful Bible Church has purchased the LA Forum, the arena where the basketball Lakers used to play. Can you imagine the influence of the Pentecostal church in this area of Los Angeles? Do you know what God is doing in our country? In the world? He is doing great things. Later, I ended the conference by going on a tour with historians Mel Robeck, Anthea Butler and 100 others to the Bonnie Brae house where the Holy Spirit first fell on April 9, 1906. The Azusa Street Mission followed in a few days and today the message from that outpouring is changing the world. Some wonderful, loving, far sighted brothers and sisters of ours purchased this house several years ago, and then lead the effort to restore it so you and I can go there and remember where we started and stand in awe of Him to Whom we owe all. If you ever get to LA, go to the Bonnie Brae House and to Azusa Street. You will find that our God is there, waiting to humble you, touch you, love you and change you. And, surely, God is doing the same, right now, wherever hearts are yielded to Him—because God is doing wonderful things today. Pentecostalism has grown person by person to over 500,000,000 today and more, lots more, tomorrow. The next PWC will be in Johannesburg in 2004. Just like this report, description of its events will demand overuse of the word "awe". If you want to go, all you have to do is to ask your Heavenly Father. He can make the impossible happen, for Him it is an easy thing. I know from experience that God will bless you as you stand in awe of Him when we meet together from all over the world. Every three years we will meet until He comes and then we will be together forever. Resources You Can Use: Answer Magazine Looking for a way to reach every household in your community? Try sending Answer Magazine. For as little as $25, anyone in the US can send an evangelistic newsprint magazine to the first 125 people in their postal carrier route. Every issue includes articles such as "Forgiveness Doesn't Come Easily," "Jesus Christ'God's Appointed Savior, or Self-Appointed Fraud?," "Successful but Asking: 'Is This All There Is?'" and "Improving Your Marriage" that challenge readers about spiritual, moral, and family issues while presenting a clear gospel message. This magazine's ministry is based on the concept of Christians in every community sharing Christ with their neighbors until every family receives it. The circulation of Answer is based on sponsorship of communities by donors. Perhaps your congregation could start a sponsorship campaign that could generate enough funds to reach every family in your community. You may also purchase multiple copies of the magazine issues inexpensively to distribute through your ministry. This magazine might make a great, substantive "tract" to leave with someone. For more information about Answer Magazine, write Answer Magazine, PO Box 94368, Birmingham, AL 35220. Or call: (800) 578-7594. What is God Doing in the World? God Heals Severe Back Problem Andy Chambers andy.chambers [at] siltaseurakunta.fi, an Englishman living in Jyv'skyl', Finland, sent the following report: "I was in Denmark last month, and met a young man who had been healed in a conference at which I spoke in 1993. He was about 15 years old at the time, and had had a distorted spine since birth—a hereditary condition in his family for three generations. During a prayer time, he was suddenly able to straighten himself, and ran around the room shouting 'I'm healed!' A medical examination revealed that he had grown by 5 centimeters (2 inches). He spoke about his healing on the radio one year later, and later still in national television. His healing has lasted to this day, and was recorded in the Danish national medical archive as being unique in national medical history. Around 25 other people reported being healed of back problems during the same conference." Source: Friday Fax Issue 25, 29th of June, 2001 Ethiopia: Moslem walks again Tenalem Mulugeta is an Ethiopian evangelist who has been working in the region between Dembi Dollo and the Sudanese border since 1998. When he arrived in Modscho, he initially experienced significant resistance: people pelted him with stones and beat him with sticks. He was severely injured. One day, the people wanted to test whether the God of whom he spoke really has power, so they brought him an 18-year-old Moslem who had been confined to his bed for five years. Tenalem laid hands on him and prayed. The youth was healed immediately, jumped up and shouted "Jesus is Lord!". He was the first in Modscho to be baptized and start following Jesus. When they saw what happened to the young man, the people also brought a 12-year-old girl who had been lame for 18 months. She was also healed, and the people's hearts were opened for the gospel. Many are now Christians, and new churches have been planted. "Eat what they give you" (Luke 10) Tenalem set off on the long journey to Mira, on the Sudanese border. On his arrival there, 5 men from the Opo tribe came to him, and asked him three times whether he really had come because he loved them. Tenalem told them yes, he had come because he loved them. They decided to test him, saying that if he really loved them, then he would eat their food. If he did that, they would believe him, otherwise they would kill him. It was a hard test, because the food was mice and rats, which Tenalem had never eaten. He asked to be allowed to pray before the meal, and was then able to eat the 'regional specialty'. Following his successful completion of the test, the tribesmen were convinced that he really loved them, and hugged him. Some 100 people gathered to hear the gospel, and accepted Jesus as their savior. The Snake God - or Jesus? One problem remained: the tribe had previously worshipped the Boa as their god, and brought sacrifices in a particular place. The Opos were now afraid that the snake would harm them, but Tenalem told them that they now served the true God and need not be afraid. He lifted his hands and asked Jesus to demonstrate his power by killing the snakes. As he was praying, everyone heard a loud rumbling. They went to the place where they brought their sacrifices, and found the snake dead on the ground. This convinced the new believers that Jesus has power over all spirits, and were baptized. 10,000 members in 2 1/2 years Tenalem belongs to a group of 100 evangelists sent out by the Full Gospel Believers Church in Addis, Ethiopia. During a 2 1/2-year training and support program, these 100 evangelists have led around 10,000 people from mostly unreached tribes to Jesus, and established many churches for the new believers, according to a report from the German mission agency "Aktion fuer Verfolgte Christen" (Action for Persecuted Christians). Confirmed Source: Hans Ollesch, AVC avcnidda [at] t-online.de, (+49) 6043 4524, translation of report appearing in: Friday Fax 2001 Issue 25, 29 June. Two Raised from the Dead in Mongolia Axel Fischer, leader of the mission agency 'HELP' in Ulaanbaatar, reports: "In the past two months, we have heard of two people being raised from the dead through prayer. In both cases, the person had died in hospital, and their death and resurrection were confirmed by doctors. Naraa, a Mongolian Christian who we have known for years, reports: 'One night, the desperate relatives of a man who had recently died asked us to come to the hospital. There are no doctors in our area, so we are often called on to pray for the sick. God has healed many people. I know that my God performs miracles, so I went to pray for the dead man, who was already cold when I arrived. After five minutes of prayer, he opened his eyes. His resurrection was the talk of the village. All the relatives gave their lives to Christ on the spot.' Badulzi, a pastor and close friend, told us the following: 'A young girl in our church died, but her Christian friends didn't want to accept her death. They believed that God could do wonders, so they prayed and praised God at her bedside for ten hours, until she returned to life. The doctors and other witnesses were astonished and could hardly comprehend that Jesus is also Lord over life and death.'" Source: Friday Fax Issue 26, 6th of July, 2001. HELP International in Ulaanbaatar New Equipment Available and Items Needed Recently acquired items:
There is also a need to reprint envelopes and letterhead in the near future. The Executive Committee has found a local Christian businessman who offers reduced prices on printing: The check-size envelopes that are included with all of the PF's outgoing mail will cost about $85 for 1,000. Letterhead will be $110 for 1,000 sheets. Journal sized envelopes will be $100 for 1,000. Please contact Member Services for more information about donating equipment or helping purchase specific items. Book/Periodical reviewers wanted If you have recently read a book that others could benefit from, consider writing a brief essay and submitting it to our reviews department. Mike Dies, the book and periodical review editor for the Pneuma Review, is always looking for fresh perspectives and insights. Essays on significant books of interest to Pentecostal/charismatic church leaders are always welcome. Write to the Editor for more information. Thought to Ponder: Drifting towards holiness "People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated." — D.A. Carson from For the Love of God Excerpts from the Summer 2001 issue (Vol 4, No 3) of the Pneuma Review The Pneuma Review is a quarterly printed journal of ministry resources and theology for Pentecostal and charismatic ministries and leaders. Full article: "Afterword: Beyond the Charismatic Experience" from the Praying in the Spirit Series, by Robert Graves Most of us are familiar with the wonderful program called "Toys for Tots." Firemen and other civil servants collect secondhand toys of all kinds; they work to put the sparkle back in the doll's eye, and then they distribute these refurbished toys to needy boys and girls who may not otherwise receive a Christmas gift. Last December I told my children to gather up all the toys they wanted to give to this organization. We ended up with a sack full of toys, once cherished but now discarded. As my children have matured they have grown tired of, or simply outgrown, these toys. Applying this maturing process to the spiritual dimension, we might raise two questions. First, Could we grow tired of the charismatic experience? And second, Could we outgrow this experience? The answer to the first question is possibly. A tongues-centered spirituality will quickly pale. This explains the occasional recanting of a disappointed Pentecostal or charismatic. Nothing could be more suffocating than wrapping oneself up in the tongues experience. There is, of course, much more to the Bible than 1 Corinthians 14; and there is much more to spirituality than using one's spiritual gift. The answer to the second question—Could we outgrow the charismatic experience?—is a resounding no. The apostle Paul spoke in tongues twenty years after he was filled with the Spirit, and he never supposed that he would quit this side of glory (1 Corinthians 13:8-10). Some have called the gift of tongues a beginner's gift. But we must not infer from this that the Christian somehow graduates beyond the need of this gift. That occurs only when we see Christ face-to-face. And even then it may not be that we no longer need tongues to express our adoration and praise of the Lamb; it may be that tongues cease because they are fully understood by heaven's transformation. After all, there must be some adjustment in our languages in heaven, for thousands of dialects will be represented among the redeemed. (I seriously doubt that I will be speaking with a Southern accent throughout eternity!) Tongues are to be considered a beginner's gift only in the sense that they are normally the first charismatic gift manifested in the Christian who experiences a post-conversion baptism in the Spirit. There is a sense in which the Christian never goes beyond the charismatic experience. For the experience is not something that one goes beyond, but something that he carries along as God works out His progressive will in the Christian's life. To ask what is beyond the charismatic experience is similar to asking what is beyond patience or what is beyond joy. The gifts of the Spirit are not goals to strive for or surpass; they are more like tools or helps. In another sense there is something beyond the gifts. There is that for which the gifts are given. That, of course, is ministry; this is that which is beyond the charismatic experience. Body Ministry Charismatic theology, more than any other, argues for lay participation within the church—all are participants, no one is merely a spectator. In charismatic Christianity the distinction between lay and clergy is blurred. We are all ministers! This, I believe, is one reason that the Pentecostal-charismatic renewal is opposed by certain churchmen. They are threatened. In reality there is no reason for this reaction, for it does not follow that all are leaders just because all are ministers. Charismatic fellowships, too, must have leaders. The Pentecostal-charismatic renewal has awakened the Church to the full spectrum of spiritual gifts. Not only has God given to the Church pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and teachers, but every day souls are added to the Church and to these souls are distributed a variety of spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11). To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:8-10).Until the advent of the Pentecostal movement near the turn of the twentieth century, the full array of these gifts was of little importance to the Church. It was though 1 Corinthians 12-14 had been ripped from the Bible. But the Pentecostal-charismatic renewal has reestablished the importance of each gift and, thus, the importance of each Christian as a minister. A Final Word to Charismatic and Non-Charismatic Pastors It is important to note that 1 Corinthians 12 is not centrally concerned with spiritual gifts. Paul's intent is to teach the Corinthians something about unity and equality: All the gifts come from the same source (verses 4-6); all are for the common good; all are vital members of one body, the Body of Christ (verses 12-27). The church that does not recognize the complete Pauline repertoire of gifts should not expect to experience the unity and equality of which Paul wrote, for such a church has already stifled some of the manifestations of the Spirit. More than that, such a church has crushed the individual Christians whom God would use with these gifts. On the other hand, it cannot be said that unity and equality exist within charismatic fellowships simply because they recognize all of the New Testament gifts. Otherwise, Paul would not have had to write as he did to the Corinthians. Some Pentecostal-charismatic churches and fellowships are making the same mistake that the Corinthians seemed to have made. They exalt vocal gifts and snub service gifts. This preempts equality, thus making unity impossible. Biblically, the gift of helps should receive the same attention as the gifts of prophecy; the person who shows mercy and the person who speaks in tongues should be held with equal esteem. Then there will be equality, and such a Body can dwell in unity. Wise is the charismatic pastor who strives for such equality among his members. And biblical, though daring, is the non-charismatic pastor who accepts and cultivates the God-given ministries of all who would be his parishioners. Robert W. Graves is the author of Increasing Your Theological Vocabulary, Praying in the Spirit (Chosen, 1987) and The Gospel According to Angels (Chosen Books, 1998). He is a Christian educator and a former faculty member at Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas. He can be reached through E-mail by contacting Member Services. Full article: "God's Heart for Unity" from the Worship Leader Series, by Gary Best How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity (Psalm 133:1).When my teenage daughter walks out the door, and I say, "Drive safely" she looks at me and says, "Absolutely, Dad." I reassure myself that I have really communicated. I assume she understands "Drive safely," the way I do: observe the laws, watch out for pedestrians, pay attention to the speed limit, etc. What she really understands when I say "Drive safely" is more like this: "As long as you bring the car home in one piece, then all existing land speed records are up for grabs." When we throw around terms like "worship" and "unity" we often think we are communicating. The problem is, we often have divergent interpretations and understandings of those terms. When we sing the familiar chorus: I love you Lordwe assume that what we are singing must be a sweet, sweet sound to His ear. After all, the band is tight, our arms are raised. The angels must be taking the night off just to listen. But truthfully, not everything we sing and communicate, no matter how exhilarating the experience, or how enthusiastic the band, is a sweet sound in God's ear. You can fool all of the people some of the time'but you cannot fool God any of the time. He looks past the words, raised arms, the music, and sees the heart. Isaiah 29:13: "The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.'" We always run the risk of letting our worship fall into that category. We have the audacity to expect that we can offer something that is going to impress God, or catch His ear. So when I say "true worship" or "acceptable worship" I'm working from the understanding that worship has nothing to do with any offering or sacrifices we can give to God. Worship is not God responding to our sacrifices; it is our response to His. But what do I mean when I say "unity"? It is an important concept for worship leaders who are called to lead people to intimate communion with God. In John chapter 17, in His prayer for the disciples, He prays that they might be one not in some monotonous cookie-cutter fashion but "as We are One." The Trinity has unity and diversity. One nature, yet three unique personalities. God has His heart set on this kind of unity for His church. Using the figure of music, I think God is looking for something more like an orchestra: diversity within unity, all sorts of different kinds of instruments. That is much more satisfying than reproducing the same melody on the same kind of instrument over and over. Take any two instruments from a philharmonic, and they may seem incompatible. One would not normally commission a duet using a tympani and a piccolo. But all the instruments can be drawn together into an organic whole and, with a skilled conductor, perform a symphony. He wants something that mirrors the Trinity, that mirrors the kind of relationship that we are going to have in heaven. The true church, as the body of Christ in the world, should be one of the greatest apologetics for Christ. Regarding the death and resurrection of the Son of God, Tertullian wrote that "It is certain because it is impossible." The Church's Cross Purpose Could not the same be said of the church? Imagine the most complex jigsaw puzzle ever devised, with a million pieces that changed shapes right before you laid them down. That is the church. The whole point of the church is that it is supposed to be impossible. Thus when the world sees it, when they all see these different people coming together, under the leading, direction and empowerment of the Spirit, loving each other, fitting together, and harmonizing together, they are supposed to say: "That is not possible. God must be among them." How is it possible? There is only one way: the cross of Christ. We read in Ephesians chapter 2: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For He himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility'" (vv. 13, 14). Which barrier? The cross miraculously dealt not only with the barrier that existed between God and ourselves, but also the dividing wall of hostility that has existed between human beings. We all arrive at the cross in the same condition. We come before the King and see the incredible debt that we owe'and it is taken away from us. We are forgiven and cleansed. Then we turn around and meet each other. What other way is there to respond but to embrace each other as we meet at the cross? The Lord desires more than just simply taking people throughout the world and connecting them individually with Himself so they can enjoy that communion independent with others. Some of us visualize the Christian life this way: we stand in our own little tube connected to God through which he dispenses His love to us alone. Eventually God is going to take us up through that chute to meet him in the sky. Jesus came to the cross to unite us to the Father and by that one act to also unite us with one another. He filled us with the Spirit to unite us with the Father, baptize us, and unite us with one another so that we share in the same spirit and become one spiritual body. The body of Christ on the cross is therefore the body in which the church is united and redeemed (Eph. 2:16). Reconciliation Worship leaders, God desires to put His desire for unity and reconciliation on a horizontal plane into our hearts. Yes, we are to catch His heart for reconciliation, so that people might experience intimacy with Him. But He wants to reveal to us the heart for reconciliation of all of His people so that the bewildering variety of musical instruments might be reclaimed, restored, rebuilt, united and given a beautiful score where together they can worship and play. In the third chapter of Ephesians we read that God, after He reclaims all these different instruments and unites them together, will display them not only to the world, but to the entire universe. All will hear that reclaimed orchestra as a witness of the marvelous intention of His heart, and a tangible invitation to a relationship with the Father, together with all those who are reclaimed and restored. Do we dare say, "God, will You give me Your heart for unity? Would You reveal that part of Your love that wants to restore the whole world to Yourself?" If we do, the walls will come down. Nine times out of ten, the walls will come down on your head. Jesus first broke down the walls of hostility with His own death. As we see what He died for released and acted out, it will kill us. But when you begin praying, "Father, tear down the walls that exist within the church!" where is He going to start? He is going to start with the walls that are around you and me. We usually see those walls as everybody else's fault. Wouldn't church unity be easy if everybody recognized how right we are? Unity would be no problem if everyone did it our way. But the only way those walls come down is if we are willing to take the loss. If we are willing to say, "Lord, I don't care if I'm right or wrong. By Your grace, Lord, I'll lay down all my anxieties, insecurities, and unforgiveness. I'll die to all that Lord'but I must see those walls that are dividing the church come down." If we resist what God is now revealing to us about His desire for unity, we do so at tremendous cost. Over time, if we say no to true unity, we say no to true worship. It is the death sentence of our intimacy with God. When we discover that God loves us, we think, "Isn't that wonderful! I'll take all of that!" At first we do not even know that God loves anyone else in the whole world. Then we find out that He has some other people that He cares about. But we convince ourselves, not as much as me. I'm His favorite. Eventually the Lord shows you that it is not only people that you like that He likes. Then you are scandalized: God will love anybody! Of course that is very good news. Then He begins to show you that He loves and forgives those whom you do not understand. He pours out His Spirit even on those groups that just do everything the wrong way. He even loves those who have wounded you. As we respond: "Lord, what You do with them is your business. But don't try to bring any of Your love for them through me." But there we have a big problem. Love is not a substance that God keeps in a pouch. God is love. He never stops loving, because that is who, and what He is. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace which He has freely given to us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding (Eph. 1:4b-8).So when we sing the prayer to the Lord: "More love, more power, more of you in my life" but excuse ourselves somehow from loving what God loves (the whole church) we are asking God in effect to divide Himself. This is clearly impossible if we push away His love for our brothers, or for our enemies. But in doing so, we are pushing away from Him. We may try to proceed with business as usual. Maybe pump up the volume a little bit. Sing an extra verse. Try to recreate the magic. When we resist God's invitation to be channels of His love, we have pushed away the love of God. For a season we may be able to get away with unforgiveness, and acts of disunity. But once He shows us the love He has for the whole church, we cannot resist it without resisting the very presence of God. Nothing smells more putrid than worship activity after the presence of God has departed. It does not matter how high we raise our hands, or how fervent our "sacrifice," or how aggressively we praise. Like 1 Corinthians 13 says, all the worship activity in the world without love is simply a clanging cymbal. The Lord is searching for worship leaders who will lead the way in interceding and groaning for this unity. From Worship Update (1st Quarter 1997), "God's Heart for Unity" '1997 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing, P.O. Box 68025, Anaheim, CA 92817-0825. USA. http://www.vmg.com Used by Permission. Editorial: "Consumer or Consumee" by H. Murray Hohns Numbers 13:32 contains a thought or sentence that most of us have never noticed. This section of scripture discusses the various reports given by the twelve men that Moses sent to spy out the Promised Land. We all know the general story—two of the returnees said "Let's go," but ten said "Let's not, the task is beyond us." While the debate over the correct decision was still raging, the ten added the comment in Numbers 13:32: "The land we explored devours those living in it." These words have a theological bent to them. I have never read a commentary on their implications, and thus I am left to wonder if the ten were that clever or knowledgeable to wage such a theological debate with Moses. I do know that the Torah and all of Scripture is layered with meaning and the revelation of that meaning is ongoing for all of us who care to study, ponder, unpack and grapple with what is there. I thought I would take the time to discuss some of the implications that I see with you. Does the land where you live devour you? This happens to all of us at times, and it is fatal to some. For example, I have taken on too much for the next three months and the one just past. My life has and is being devoured—consumed by so many chores that I do not have enough time for myself and, more importantly, for the One to Whom I owe all. In short, the land where I live has devoured me. My priorities are all wrong. I have given control of my days over to people and tasks that do not really matter and those that do (and I) will suffer until I catch up or 'fess up that I cannot do all that I have promised. Another example (and one that well might have been part of the desert debate 3300 years ago) is that people can soon find themselves so taken up in the effort to produce this year's State Fair Blue-ribbon turnip that there is no time left for serving the King or being part of the family or community. It is so easy to get absorbed in worthwhile pursuits that really do not matter that much. Could it be that you cannot handle the Promised Land? Maybe it is not the right place for you to live? How about the church that splits over doctrinal issues? I remember a church that years ago split over whether chromium automobile bumpers were too worldly. Some of the more 'Godly' among that flock insisted that every chrome bumper should be painted black to maintain the right witness to the community. Soon there were two congregations and an unimpressed though amused community. Now there are no chrome bumpers and a doctrinal debate over something so long out of fashion seems silly. How could someone be so consumed—devoured—over passing fashion? Could you? Are you? The mainstream church often looks with scorn at the Spirit-filled Christian who has let the gift received overpower their good taste and sense. This scorn devours at or rejects that which God had intended to be birthed in all His church. Numbers 13:32 says that this is a bad report—to live in a place where we are devoured. Do you live in such a place? Is your life consumed with things not precious, but worthless? Are you a bad report? I have been a Pentecostal Christian for nearly 40 years and I have to change direction again. Am I too old to have to catch up or to repent and start over? I should know better and yet I have to repent—to be smarter this time. How about you? Prayer Requests
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