What Makes a Leader?

Here is a synopsis of material on leadership found at the Barna Group website that was published this last April and June. If you'd like to read the full reports, go to these links at Barna.org:

      Report on leadership survey

      Joseph Cavanaugh interview


The Crisis in Leadership is Genuine.

According to a recent online survey by the Barna Group over a sample group of 1,116 adults, randomly chosen from the U.S., who consider themselves Christian*, more than half of Christians in this country identify themselves as leaders (58%). (Hmm.)

And yet, more than eight in 10 (82%) of the same survey participants indicate that they believe the United States is facing a crisis in leadership because there aren’t enough leaders.

What’s more, the leadership characteristics that participants identified in themselves fail to line up with the leadership qualities they expect in others.

So where are the disconnects? Where is this crisis coming from if so many Christians already see themselves as leaders? What are the missing links?

Joseph Cavanaugh, president of Ephesians 4 Leadership and author of a new book on leadership, traces it back to a lack of self-awareness. This cultural problem contributes to a warped sense of calling, and why the first step to leading others well is to gain a realistic understanding of ourselves. His new book:  The Language of Blessing.

This supports the concept for launching our current study.

In his book, Cavanaugh suggests that we embrace the Genesis 12 principle of accepting God’s blessing in order to be a blessing to others.

Interesting concept! Does "blessing someone" sound a little like "servant-leadership"?


Perceptional Disagreement

"Leadership is one of those 'if you see it, you know it' kind of qualities. It’s something Americans clearly value, all the way from their immediate employer to their minister to their president," Barna reports.

The organization's survey shows that more than 8 in 10 (82%) Christian adults believe the United States faces a crisis of leadership because there aren’t enough leaders.

That begs the questions:

•     What makes a person a leader?
•     What do people value in a leader?
•     What do Christians value in leaders?
•     What is the Christian perspective of leadership?
•     Is the younger generation looking for a different type of leader?

For the purposes of Barna's research, the following short descriptions on 10 leadership characteristics were given to respondents.

• Courage – being willing to take risks
• Vision – knowing where you are going
• Competence – being good at what you do
• Humility – giving credit to others
• Collaboration – working well with others
• Passion for God – loving God more than anything else
• Integrity – doing the right thing
• Authenticity – being truthful and reliable
• Purpose – being made for or “called” to the job
• Discipline – the ability to stay focused and get things done

(These 10 differ slightly from the characteristics in our current study. We're pursuing 8 character traits that manifest effective leadership behavior. Look ahead to weeks 3-6, and you'll find these:  Integrity, Courage, Discipline, Loyalty, Diligence, Humility, Optimism, Conviction, all of which are based on moral absolutes that can be found in a person's core beliefs — something we talked briefly about last Wednesday when discussing followers.)


So, What Do Christians Look for in a Leader?

The survey bore out a few answers.

    • More than half (64%) of Christians say integrity is one of the most important traits a leader must have.

    • Other traits Christians say are important include authenticity (40% listed this as a vital characteristic) and discipline (38%).

    • Christian adults chose all three of these qualities above “passion for God”. Less than one-third (31%) listed that as a necessary trait.

    • The traits Christian adults were least likely to select as most important are humility (7%) and purpose (5%).

    • Younger Christians — those aged 18-39 — are slightly more interested in collaboration and purpose than are Christians who are 40 and older. They are also much more likely than older adults to look for bosses who are humble, with nearly one-third (32%) of 18-39 year-olds listing humility as a key trait in a potential boss.


Room for Improvement

Since 58 percent of the respondents identified themselves as leaders, the survey asked what they would most like to improve about their leadership, using the same list of traits.

The area where they said they want the most help is courage (27%), followed by a desire to grow in terms of discipline (17%), vision (15%) and passion for God (13%).

Evangelical leaders are most similar to the broader Christian market in terms of their aspirations to improve as leaders: they want to grow in courage (27%), discipline (25%), passion for God (14%) and vision (9%).


Here are Barna's conclusions:

"1. Christians perceive a significant leadership crisis in America caused by a distinct lack of leaders. Most feel they are leaders, but many of them aren’t confident that their leadership abilities are the most important traits in a leader. This suggests many of them are still striving to meet even their own leadership expectations and it means many Christians may not think of their own leadership as helping to fill the leadership gap they experience. Perhaps this is why they are most interested in growing in terms of courage.

"2. Evangelicals are far more likely than all self-described Christians to say passion for God is an essential leadership quality. That suggests evangelicals are much more comfortable working for people who share their beliefs and may not believe non-Christian bosses they work for are great leaders.

"3. It’s illuminating to learn how few Christians believe they’re called to do what they do. This data presents a challenge to the popular Christian understanding of career as calling since most Christians in the U.S. don’t seem to be thinking about their jobs in terms of calling. Most of the data suggests the concept of calling is not on their radar.  If people don’t feel as if they’re being called to their job, does that really matter to the quality of the work they do or the lives they maintain? It is worth noting the trend that younger Christians feel more of a desire to see their career as a calling—and are more discontent when they feel a disconnect between their career and calling. However, is this perceived disconnect simply the reality of finding a fulfilling job when you’re young and inexperienced—especially in a bad economy? Is it the common angst of young people trying to figure out the purpose of their life? Or is it a sign of a growing trend among Christians to connect their faith more holistically with their life—a desire not to compartmentalize faith, life and work? Additional research and study is needed to clarify the connection between calling, leadership and faith."

Does this suggest that more Christians should turn to the Bible to discover and learn the characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors that manifest in servant leadership?

Probably.

So, who might you and I be able to influence today?



* That kind of a sample selection delivers a sampling error of +2.8 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

IBG / JF

My Turn, Part 2 ...

It took about an hour last Monday in the emergency room to diagnose my primary condition not as heart failure, as was suspected because of earlier diagnoses, but as pneumonia and anemia. It took about another 7 hours to get a room and start treatments and test for other things.

I didn't know that a human body could sustain as many punctures, prods, scopes, and needles as were pierced into me through Thursday evening when they finally kicked me out. And, Lord knows, I certainly was not among the most needful. All you have to do in a hospital to feel better is look around at others. Then, pray. I can now appreciate what people say when released from a hospital: go home and get some rest!

See, my physical condition got so bad over the last weekend that I didn't think I could go on without help. Chris and Lill were just waiting for the word to take me in. And when Ted called to see how I was on Monday morning, he said that I sounded like I was ready to pass out and that he'd be here in an hour to take me in. That's all it took to convince me. I needed help. Couldn't do this on my own any longer. See, I dread the hospital; and if I gave in, I half-expected surgery, or worse. That's the last thing I wanted after issues with my brothers.

Good news is: I actually feel half-alive today, one week later. What a novel feeling! I was even able to spend quality time in His Word earlier and over the weekend.

After all this testing, they did not find a cause for the anemia that led to a transfusion of two units of blood. They and we suspect it comes from my nose. That big scab inside has a proclivity to open up and hemorrhage so badly that I need a sink or toilet to capture the blood instead of swallowing the volume, which tastes awful and not at all like blood. (Want to know how to make a  nurse panic? Leave your bloody-nose tissues exposed for her to glimpse. That's all it takes. Rockets propel to the ceiling; believe me.)

After two scopes, they did not find anything unusual in my upper and lower tracts. (They call those procedures "surgery". Don't ask me why. But the coolest part of it is coming out of the anesthesia.) Nor, did an abdominal scan show anything out of the ordinary.

Chest? Yep, the x-rays are cloudy. Did you know that your heart and its components transverse the upper part of your lungs? I didn't. The clouds are in the lower parts. That's a good thing, I think.

It seems like they came for blood tests three times or more each day. My veins began to hide every time the cart came near my room. One astonishment: my white platelet count was down to 18000 ppm. The norm that we've been targeting is around 250K. Last regular tests had my level at 318K and 428K. Oops! Now, it's way too low. Then, the good doctors discover a rare side-effect of the medication: can cause lung damage. Wonderful.

Prognosis: You'll have to put up with me. I'm around for a while longer. I will recover. It will take some time for my lungs to clear; and, we're going to investigate the blood and anemia issues further.

I don't know about you, but when I'm laid up like this, I really miss my closeness with Christ. I know he's there, but communicating on a conscious level is really difficult for me. So, I've learned that when I pray for someone who is ill, bedridden, or incapacitated in any way, I not only pray for that person. I pray for what I believe that person would want to be praying for. I try to be specific as possible in that, placing my feet as it were in his/her shoes, because if he or she is anything like me, their communion can't be very efficacious.

Thanks for praying for me over these last several days. I know that He has heard you.

In Him in all ways...

My Turn ...

Thank each and every one of you for your prayers and concern.

It has been an awful month. Danny and I had been talking about how best to approach our brother about coming to Christ. I told Danny that it would really be hard for me because I really did not know him, nor he, me. Seven years separate us; I'm the oldest son; he was the youngest. Dan still thought I would be the best to broach the subject. I could start, he suggested, by sharing some of the heart issues that we had in common and how I was treating mine. See, Pat had an ablation treatment to correct atrial fibrillation in early April. Danny and I left it that I would call him on Easter. He wasn't home.

The very next day, things got really bad. Apparently, there were punctures created in his esophagus and heart from instruments used in this earlier procedure. He was air-lifted from a suburban hospital to Loyola University Hospital in Maywood; suffered a couple severe strokes, and never really regained consciousness. The death watch began a few days later and ended on May 2, Danny's birthday, two days before Pat's 59th.

Chris and I had an anniversary/birthday cruise scheduled for the week of April 22-29. We elected not to cancel. We did not expect a life-support decision until mid-week, soonest. It came a full week later.

It was a physically-trying cruise, and on it, I was to learn a lot more about my physical condition, or lack thereof. I found that I could no longer walk the beach with my wife to any substantial length. I almost lost it swimming 50 yards in the surf to the waiting dive boat. (The surf in Cabo can be pretty rugged.) I failed to be able to snorkel. (How can that be when I am a certified Rescue Diver?). It was physically exhausting to climb the stairs from one deck to the next. On past cruises, we typically would do all 9 or 10 decks at a time to burn calories.

We returned Sunday night around midnight. Chris had been receiving update text messages throughout the week. I think life-support was cut-off on the preceding Thursday or Friday. We looked into reservations. On Wednesday, it happened. Chris made reservations for a Monday morning flight and hotel in Mt. Prospect. I had all the encouragement and support that I needed. I knew why I was going, and couldn't wait to see Danny.

Meanwhile, my condition was worsening: a shortness of breath at rest and from minor exertion; fatigue; weakness; severe edema; no appetite; difficulty concentrating; decreased alertness; a heaviness in my chest; abdominal swelling (I mean big!). I called my doctor's office and told them that I thought it was time to cut back on the bystolic dosage. See, twice I skipped the daily dosage for two days on the trip, and I was able to climb not two flights, but six without suffering the same tiredness.

Was I wrong! We went in Friday morning, did a complete work-up, EKG, modified stress test. My BP was in the 160s.

Diagnosis: I have suffered heart failure. That's scary. It means means my heart can't pump enough blood to meet my body's requirements. Nice, huh? Treatment: it can be treated; initially, no travel; stay near home; a diuretic; Echo EKG on Monday.

The doctor said that I had come as close to the the precipice as possible without going over. A slight push, and I'd be done. Oh, I could travel all right; but he expected to hear of my admittance to an ER in Chicago, or maybe, if I were lucky, to one here when I returned.

So, I called Danny and told him that I would not be attending our brother's services on Monday and Tuesday.

Since then, I haven't had the strength to do much of anything. It's a strain to walk from a parking lot into a grocery store. Coming back, it's easier because I know that I'll be sitting down to drive. Stairs? I hate them. Sleep, at all hours, seems to be the only relief. Add to that, a deep chest cold. But, at all hours, it's short and sporadic.

Yes, I am disappointed for not being where I thought I might be needed last week. Yes, I am disappointed that I missed church services for the past few weeks, and our Wednesday Bible study, and the concluding weeks of BSF. I resigned Wednesday night from our HOA Board; they asked be to take another, less physical position, and I agreed, conditionally.

My EEKG showed no further damage from the one of a year ago. It just points to aortic stenosis. I'll be seeing a cardiologist on June 12 or before if his office gets a cancellation.

I ask you to understand that along with this little malady comes a noticeable depression that's really tough for me to shake. I couldn't bring myself to talk about my condition with anyone, except Chris and Lill and Dan, Nicki, Erin and Jase. I outlined it briefly to Gil, when he called, believing me to be in Chicago; but, I know that I didn't let on just how bad and weak that I feel. Yet, through it all, I know it is for a purpose, and while I cannot focus completely on Christ because of my physical/mental state, I do try. I don't know where it will lead. But, I am not afraid. Just a little depressed. I don't think any man likes to feel weakened. So, it's difficult for the real me to show through.

So, it's my turn to ask that you please keep me in your prayers. Right now your focus is much more acute than mine.

And remember this:  I am still rejoicing!

The Lord's Prayer, Wish or Command

I've always read parts of what is commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer” as hopes or wishes: may your name be honored, may your will be done, may your kingdom come. However, a closer examination led to a surprise and personal challenge I'd like to share with you.

How to Supress Thorns and Weeds

A couple additional thoughts to our morning discussion of Jesus' parable of the soils ...

Jesus was teaching us that we each have an active role in cultivating our hearts, our soil ("hold it [the seed, or Word of God] fast"), so that we might bear fruit for our Father God.

You have to conclude that the conditions of our hearts as we go through life are not completely dependent upon God. Otherwise, we would have been perfected from the outset being faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, and withstand all efforts of the evil one to sabotage the will of God.

Rather, He began the process by preparing the soil and designed life so that we must expend some effort to nurture and cultivate our hearts in all areas.

Some Scriptures that help us see this:

• Proverbs 23:7 says, "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (KJV).
• Proverbs 17:20 says, "A man of perverse heart does not prosper; he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble." (NIV-84) 
• Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and is desperately wicked; who can know it?" (NKJV)
• Jesus added, "From within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts ..." (Mark 7:21). (NASB)
• "Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness" (Eph. 6:14). (NASB)
• "And, the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7 (NASB)

The latter verse is sandwiched inside the well-known passage Phil 4:6-8: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God ... v7 ... Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." (NASB)

Verse 7 describes the miracle that transpires. In verses 6 and 8, Paul tell us how our hearts can be cultivated and peace gained. That is, through prayer and with God's grace.

He then gives us a life principle by telling us to focus our minds not on what is ungodly, but on what is righteous. From my experience, that kind of focus helps keep my thorns and weeds in check and under control. It's almost like "The Power of Biblically-Positive Thinking."

What Jesus' visit to his home town revealed

Some in the group have been carrying on an interesting email discussion sparked by a recent Wed. morning study. The discussion started with a question about where this proverb Jesus quoted came from: “And He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ ” ” (Luke 4:23, NASB95)

I won't repeat or attempt to summarize all the excellent thoughts that were brought, up. I just wanted to throw out a few of mine that were sparked by Doug's observation that the people of Jesus' home town were very quick to move from (the appearance of ) love to murderous hatred when Jesus exposed their unbelief.

Haven't we all seen people like that? People who have been quick to turn against someone they professed to care for when it became clear that they could not accomplish what they wanted. (Hmmm, I guess I've even done that!)

I've often pondered the meaning the the phrase "pure in heart" mentioned by Jesus as a characteristic trait of Godliness. I've come to see it as having the best interest of someone else in mind without using manipulation to achieve ulterior motives of my own.

Perhaps such hasty reversals of attitude reveal a person's lack of pure-heartedness that they were covering up a moment before.

In fact this leads me to wonder if the entire scene (Luke 4:14-30) coming at the beginning of Jesus' ministry was seen by Luke as a comment on the lack of pure-heartedness among mankind that would eventually lead not only to the events of the cross, but the need for it. If His home-town friends and relatives could turn so violently against Him so quickly, what will the world do?

It's also interesting that this scene in Jesus' home town comes right on the heels of Luke's account of Jesus temptation by Satan. In a sense the home town scene almost seems as a continuation of that temptation. He had resisted Satan's temptation to test/prove the Father's care. Now would He resist the demand of even His family and people He grew up among to prove His and the Father's care for them? The answer is no, and it should give us pause (perhaps even shock) that we can't take advantage of, nor manipulate God either.

While pondering this idea about how quick people are to blame God when life doesn't deliver what they want or expect, I came across an article by Vox Day this morning that seemed hauntingly relevant. While I can be critical of some of Vox's use of Scripture and theology, He makes some very thought-provoking points in "The problem with evil". Here's an excerpt:

One hears much these days of the need for religious tolerance. But this is a false doctrine. Christians are not called to tolerate evil or to love wickedness. We are instead commanded to fight it, to wage tireless and unceasing war against it in all of its myriad forms. We are called to resist it in our own lives, to mitigate it in others and to destroy it wherever possible.

Jesus spoke truly. The world still hates him, and it hates those who worship him. As has been the case for the last 2,000 years, Christians are being actively persecuted around the world. Christian converts are being murdered in Somalia even as Christian churches unwisely welcome Somali immigrants to America. New Christians have been murdered in Iraq and imprisoned in Afghanistan. Life-long Christians in Britain have been threatened with losing their jobs if they don't hide signs of their religion, even though Sikhs are permitted to wear turbans, Jews are permitted to wear yarmulkes, and Muslims are permitted to wear headscarves. America's time may not be soon, but it will eventually come, too.

The West is belatedly discovering the truth about the love of money being the root of all evil. The arrogant nations of the post-Christian West put their faith in their wealth, only to learn that Mammon is a false and treacherous god. The great irony is that despite the world's rejection of God and its foolish embrace of evil, those who find themselves suffering the promised consequences of their actions will end up blaming God for them. Such are the perils of free will.

Read more: The problem with evil http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=291017#ixzz1KYOPxVmz

When people who use the name of Christ to describe themselves ( think of "He's our boy, from our town" ), deliberately embrace man-made doctrines of unbelief and evil, can we be surprised if they turn to intense hatred of those who truly follow Him?

Physician, heal thyself (Luke 4:23ff)

I've posted a few notes on this proverb here. I thought the next to last one, though long, really captured the significance of the scene and applied it as well.

What Is It That Sin Kills?

I wholeheartedly agree that it is not acceptable to continue in sin, as was stated in last comment to the post "Lies that Keep on Killing."

Sin does kill!

But what does it kill?

Sin is like a cancer that keeps re-breeding its awful malignancy, spreading its dirty little cells at will as if it has a life of its own, seemingly unchecked to contaminate and consume all that is pure, all that is good. But where's the cure?

Spiritual cure comes only from One Source.

Romans 6 (Ro 6:1) answers the question about believers continuing to sin. Yes, all sin does have consequences. The consequence it does not have for those who are saved is this: Sin does not separate a follower of Christ Jesus from God. Sin will, however, affect your relationship with him, and I think that it usually does this mostly from your side. See, God already knows who you are, where you're going, and how you are going to get there.

Yet, sin affects our relationships with others. Sin can and will kill relationships. I think this is especially true with sin that is hidden and with sin that is not admitted. Instead of "admitted", is it better to say "confessed", as did James? (See Jas 5:16.)

We, the saved, are enabled by the Holy Spirit to repent from our sins and stop committing them. Key point to that is the ability to identify, "admit to" and/or "confess" a sin. If ignorance, bull-headedness, self-righteousness, damaged feelings, pride, or some other kind of psychological infirmity keeps a person from doing that, we have a problem. When we or someone we know cannot accomplish that first task, a request for forgiveness probably will never happen, even when some well-intentioned brother or sister might point out the transgression. That's a genuine travesty to all involved and to peripherally-involved parties. That sin, then, kills close, personal relationships and others.

Who is to blame for that? I'd like to know.

Even with the supernatural help we're given, we'll never be completely free of sinning because of our nature. But, in partnership with the Holy Spirit (my term, and I believe that it fits because it takes effort on our part, too) and His lead, we can progress a long way to rid our lives of sin. Is that not the transformation process?

A true follower of Christ will come to hate sin more and more. Yes, even those without the ability to identify a particular sin can follow that path. What was it that Christ said that we should do if we love Him? You betcha! And if we were able to do that every minute of our lives, we would not sin. But we can't. More likely, if we work in concert with the Holy Spirit's empowering, we will begin to sin less and less, more and more of the time.

That brings up another point.

Don't you feel so sorry for those who question their salvation? I do. Don't you mourn that they think their salvation can be lost by sinning? I do. To me, they're missing out on a sense of genuine supernatural security and confidence. Worse yet, they're challenging the character and promise of the One who saved them. It's as if, in their insecurity, they are picking and choosing what to believe from His Word. What a shame! What a sin! It's like calling our Lord a liar.

Or ... maybe, for whatever reason (even a couple mentioned earlier), they just cannot identify that denial as a transgression. Hmm.

If you are saved, you are saved. Period! Paragraph! We will see each other in Jesus' presence in heaven. There should be no doubt about that. Ever.

He'll not kick you out of His Kingdom for stumbling, for sinning. He loves you too much. He expects you to fall; and He expects you to get back up. He even helps you to get back.

The question that needs to be resolved in the presumption that was presented centers on the definition of salvation. If one doesn't repent, and he or she continues to wallow in sin — as a pig in its filth, as a dog in his vomit, as a man who loves the world and its things more than his Creator Savior God — then perhaps that individual has not truly been saved. That person, a continual sinner, is indeed still "captive to a lie" and has not been set free.

How can we really tell?

I am convinced that the only way to know is by witnessing the fruit that you (or he or she or I) repeatedly bear(s). There are all kinds of Scripture references that support this. The New Testament is replete with them. I call your attention to just a few: Mt 7:15-20 (and indeed the subsequent verses 21-23); Ro 10:9; Jn 10:28-30.

Also, "No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." (1Jn 3:6, quoted here from NIV)

Or: "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." (1Jn 2:19, quoted here from NIV)

For a further assurance, please see the discussion at this link. It's pretty clear.

       Once Saved, Always Saved.

How does the Holy Spirit guide you in this?

In Him ...


IBG / JF

Lies that Keep on Killing

For those of you who were introduced to Dr. Del Tackett during a Truth Project and are not on a subscription list for TTP newsletter, you may wonder what he has been up to. I found out a couple months ago that he hosts a television broadcast for Coral Ridge Ministries. (Remember James Kennedy?) Its called Cross Examine. Its Web site is CrossExamine.com.

Tackett is still very active in world view studies and teaching. He remains the face of The Truth Project, but he has found this additional channel to champion Truth through a Biblical world view. I happened to catch one program several weeks ago, and was reminded of his pursuits through today's newsletter.

In the newsletter, he writes about completing production of this week's program. The topic of the show is "For the Health of the Mother." The title of the newsletter article and blog post is "Abortion: The Lie That Keeps on Hurting."

This is not a new topic for Dr. Tackett. In one TTP tour, Tackett brings home the travesties of abortion as a result of believing the lies of the world. Remember, he said something like "... do you think that God cannot hear the cries of all those children who are ripped from their mothers' wombs ...?" Whoa.Of course He does.

I just finished watching the 28 minute presentation. I encourage you to do the same. I've yet to see the horrors of abortion as vividly depicted as they are here, in such a short sequence. It is dramatic and heart-wrenching. It hit me especially hard this week after seeing the miracle of birth of my son's first child. It may smack you in a similar way.

I know women who have had abortions. All of us probably do. I wasn't aware of the extent of the gruesome, on-going pain caused by their decisions.We need to pray for them and encourage grace-saving recovery. We need also to pray for others who might be approaching the same pit. It's one they really do not want to fall into.

One million per year in the U.S.! That's a lot to pray for. May God have mercy on us.

Cross Examine allows this embed.

IBG / JF

Insight into Luke's life

Luke is an important, but shadowy person in Scripture. As I studied Paul's journeys I found Luke always in the background of the story. You can get some insight into his intimate connection with the first century expansion of the Gospel by reading my article What Work Will God Finish?

You'll see that Luke probably help develop the church in Philippi, ( the one church Paul felt comfortable in being personally transparent with). He spent 2-3 years in Judea with Timothy while Paul was in prison there which would have given him ample opportunity to interview Jesus' mother, John, James, and a host of other eye witnesses of Jesus. From there he accompanied Paul to Rome where he spent additional years alongside Paul. He was uniquely qualified to write both a Gospel and summarize the expansion of the Gospel in the first century.

A Simple Christmas Wish

I've posted some fairly personal things on this blog since we started it. Maybe, too personal. But, after all, that's partially what a blog is for.

I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas, and I would like to share something even more personal than the stuff in the past. Maybe a few of you would like to do the same. Don't be ashamed; we're not supposed to be. And, sharing is another reason for this blog.

Here's my prayer journal entry for today ...

Lord ...

... how did it get to be Christmas already? It seems like it should be 12 months ago, not now. I truly haven't sensed the "spirit of Christmas" until just a few hours ago. I am sorry. Perhaps it is because of all the commercial pollution. Maybe it was just busyness and selfishness. I should know better. Please Oh Holy Spirit of Christ, help me to show my love to others and to demonstrate Your love through my actions and words. Father, please fill me; please fill me with The Spirit; please let me be different from so many others of the world and demonstrate the true power of your love that wants to overflow from my heart. Jesus, I am thirsty; so thirsty for You. I come to You today seeking the water that only You provide. Let me be a river of living water, too. I've come to You because You called and because You loved me. True, I chose to answer... finally. What choice did I have once the proposition of faith, trust and obedience to You was presented in the way that it was, at the time that it was? Thank You, and thank You for the man whom You sent. Through him, You made me see a glimmer of Your light. Since then, Your light has become everything that matters, and I owe You everything. I owe You me, and I am indebted to You forever. Oh my Lord, Oh my God, how I love Thee. Your birth, Your life, Your teaching, Your revelation, Your truth, Your suffering and death for my sins, Your resurrection and ascension are the greatest blessings in the entire span of man. I know this now. It's so awfully sorrowful that so many people reject these truths, even as I did. Thank You, my Master, my Lord, my God. Merry Christmas to You, Jesus. Merry Christ Mas. Today, we honor Your birth as a man. Today we cherish Your first coming, Your coming to our level, Your coming to save us from death, from ... ourselves. Today and tomorrow, we hold You closely within our hearts and worship You and the One who sent You. We truly do. Help all of us, all who are in the family of God — and those You want to be, to keep close to You in the hours, days, months and years to come. Please help us to do that for Your honor and for Your glory.

IBG / JF

"Cuckoo for Coco Puffs?"

Francis Chan's New Mission

Here is a video interview with Francis Chan that Ted found on the Net and passed over to me. It was produced about 4 months ago.

But, if you might be interested in the whats, the whys, and the wherefores, give a look and listen. / JF

What's Next for Francis Chan? A Conversation with Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris from Ben Peays on Vimeo.

Yet Another Poignant Reminder

Today's e-mail message from Jack Graham, Power Point Ministries, is yet one more poignant reminder of the need for and power from our walk in the Spirit. See if you agree..

How the Holy Spirit can show himself through you, December 10, 2010

"On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.''" John 7:37-38

"I spoke with a man awhile back who had been on several mission trips to Latin America. He was telling me that in the summer, the heat and humidity can be almost unbearable in some areas. But the rivers are almost ice cold year-round because they come from melted snow in the mountains. So the people in these countries jump in the cold rivers for relief from the severe summer heat!

"Now isn't that just like the Holy Spirit? When we believe in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, the Spirit of God comes and dwells in us. And because of that, rivers of living water flow out of us that are remarkably different than the world around us.

"And that's really what it means to live a spiritual life! The Christian who lives spiritually will say and do things that are so different from the dying world around him that people will notice. God's Spirit allows us to breathe refreshing life into a harsh world!

"So instead of conforming to the world, live a life that is characteristic of the Holy Spirit inside of you. And your thoughts and deeds will be like a cool stream in a dying world.

"ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK THROUGH YOU AND BRING LIFE TO THE LOST AND HURTING WORLD AROUND YOU."

You can find the author at JackGraham.org, oneplace.com and crosswalk.com or in Dallas, if you care to drive there.

/ JF

Dependence on the Spirit

“This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” [1John5:6-12, NIV]

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” [1John4:1-6, NIV]

Based on these verses, I have realized that the Spirit testifies to the truth, whereas my fallen world view would be false and subject to the spirit of falsehood. Without the Spirit, I would not have acknowledge Jesus Christ had come in the flesh is from God and not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. I must be totally dependent on the Spirit to be able to know the truth in a world of lies and falsehoods. Practical steps would be to love my brother (not an easy task) without conditions and to read the Word more, to allow the Spirit to reveal to me the Truth and counsel me on my spiritual walk.

Will miss this Wednesday’s morning bible study (start of Psalm 19), but will pray that you all have a blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends.

Forgotten God, main point for me

We spent almost 9 months going through Chan’s book, FORGOTTEN GOD, which is basically his impression that the Christian community does not live in the power of the Holy Spirit much at all today. While he presents it in the context of the church setting, the accusation really applies to all individuals. God does work His will in the forces of the universe to continue the march of His plan toward the final end of history as we know it. Through those events there may be many who are turned towards Him. But in a vast majority of cases, the lost are only brought to saving knowledge and repentance by the work of Christ’s servants……you and me. That is how God has chosen present the gospel in this age, through His Church…..you and me.

Through out the study one thing became clear to me. We only experience the Spirit’s power when we step out of our comfort zone. Yes, all true believers have the Spirit (Rom.8:9), He is God (I Cor.12:4-6) in us, we are all united in Him (Eph.4:3-6), He wants to transform use into Christ-likeness (Jn.16:7-9) and He wants to commune and have fellowship with us. His ministry is essential for the Body of Christ to function properly and for our relationship to the Lord. But if we are filled with the Spirit, we will do things for Him beyond our own capabilities. For if we do only those things we can do in our own power, we are denying our trust and faith in God. We are shutting the door to “works of faith” He could do through us.

This filling is not just an emotional response to Him or some feeling. It is listening to His promptings and acting in obedience. Living in the Spirit is just like loving sacrificially; such love is active and not passive; its motivation is for the good of others, not for yourself. That is what God wants to demonstrate though us and that only happens when we are filled with the Spirit and acting in His power.

So listening to the Spirit’s prompting and obeying means trusting that He will empower you to do what He asks. What He asks will certainly be customized to you personally. But I am convinced if we earnestly pray with perseverance and remain in His Word daily, soon He will be revealing to us what it is we should be doing. It will be an area where He wants to transform us not only towards Christ-likeness, but also in showing the world His love.

For me? Well, I am usually a pretty reserved person. I am not the one who usually initiates relationships. I am not the center of attention, in fact, the further away from that the better. I am comfortable with the family and friends I do have and don’t want to widen those. I am uncomfortable with crowds, particularly where there are mostly strangers. I am sure there are deep psychological causes for this, but I’m not going there. What God has been saying to me lately is, “If I am going to use you to show my love to others, then you need to be with others and build relationships outside your comfort zone. I will be there with you; we will take it one step at a time. Just trust Me”. So I need to get to know my neighbors and build some deeper relationships with those I have some common interests with like golf. It seems simple for many, but for me it is a step of faith

What It Means to Be a Disciple

The question that stumped me the most in our entire 9-month study of "Forgotten God" was number 9 of Session 7, which asked if any of us had ever walked away from a ministry opportunity. Thinking at first in terms of church programs or duties, my written answer was "No," simply because I had never participated in one.

Then, after we discussed it a bit last Wednesday, I had to cross out that answer and change it to a "Yes." I indeed have walked away because the opportunities would take me beyond my natural talents.

That was at a point in our conversation when I suggested that the over-arching ministry to which we all belong is our discipleship to Jesus Christ. To be a decent Christian, one must be a disciple of Jesus. I find that unless I take an active role in pursuing the Spirit and practice dependence upon Him, I fail miserably at this, our first and foremost ministry.

The reason: Discipleship is not possible without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. It, like so many facets of Christian living, is simply not within the natural realm.

So, I believe that practical steps to be a true disciple are, first, to discern what true, active discipleship really should be; then, to seek the Spirit's guidance and help in developing those characteristics. If I can identify what they are, then I know what type of help to ask for, and I know where I need to do my part in putting them into practice.

So, what does it take to be a disciple? What are the characteristics of a true and active disciple of Jesus?

You can find several places in the Bible (Paul, James, John, and Peter give us many characteristics and relay commands from God). But my favorite place is Jesus' own words in John 13-17. If you look closely, this is where our Savior, the greatest of all teachers, spells out what He expects of a disciple, what a disciple can expect in his ministry, and it's the place where Jesus prays to the Father to protect disciples in the practice of their discipleships.

The text is probably the most wonderful prose ever composed. But, if you're like me, you can miss the richness of the clarity of instruction amidst all the wonder until each is separated from the composition and reviewed individually. It's like isolating specific trees from a rich forest to behold their particular strength and nature.

They then become very practical steps to take, as Francis Chan stipulated in his concluding question, "... right now ..."

In John 13, I find these. See if you agree.

• "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." v8
• "... you ought to wash one another's feet." v14
• "... you should do as I did to you." v15
• "... you are not greater than the one who sends you." v16
• "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them." v17
• "... he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me." v20
• "... love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." v34
• "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." v35
• "Where I go, you cannot follow me now; you will follow later." v36

In John 14:

• "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me." v1
• ... that where I am, there you may be also." v3
• "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." v6
• "... he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." v12
• "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. "v13
• "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." v14
• "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." v15
• "... but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you." v17
• "After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also." v19
• "In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you." v20
• "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will beloved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." v21
• "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. v23
• "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." v26

In John 15:

• "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you." v3
• "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me". v4
• "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." v5
• "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned." v6
• "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." v7
• "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." v8
• "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love." v9
• "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." v10
• "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." v11
• "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." v12
• "You are My friends if you do what I command you." v13
• "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you." v15
• "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you." v16
• "This I command you, that you love one another." v17
• "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you." v19
• "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master ' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also." v20
• "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning." vv26-27

In John 16:

• "These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling." v1
• "They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God." v2
• "These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me." v3
• "But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you." v4
• "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." v7
• "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged." vv8-10
• "... you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy." v20
• "Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you." v22
• "In that day you will not question Me about anything Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you." v23
• "Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full." v24
• "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." v33

In John 17:

• "... that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." v3
• "I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are." v11
• "While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled." v12
• "But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves." v13
• "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." v14
• "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one." v15
• "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." v16
• "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth." v17
• "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." v18
• "For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth." v19
• "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me." vv20-21
• "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me." vv22-23
• "Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world." v24
• "O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." vv25-26

Jesus summed it up earlier for each of us in Chapter 8 of John's Gosepl, when He said in verses 31 and 32, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (NKJV)
What better guidelines do we need? Pray, ask, surrender, and the Holy Spirit will empower us to do our part. That's what I have come to know.
IBG / 11.23.10

FLEEING EVIL

I feel like a bit player in a greek tragedy where I am caught in a fate beyond my comprehension or understanding. Thank the Lord for the Truth, and the Word, which reveals a drama, that began long before my existence, and has a definite ending.

That said, I heard from certain brothers and sisters in Christ, that we should flee evil. Ok, that sounds like sound advice, but practically, we live in a fallen world, and to simply believe that we are commanded to run or flee from evil would suggest that we would have to physically leave this world (1Cor 5:10) to avoid evil. Hey, by our own omission that we are all sinners, and will continue to sin, makes our continued relationship as brothers and sisters in Christ questionable (i.e., I should avoid you because you are a sinner)!

My limited search and understanding of Scripture, has not validated the simple act of fleeing evil or sinners is what we are commanded to do. Rather, my current view is that Scripture (1Thes 5:22, 2Tim 2:22, 1Tim 6:11) suggest we should avoid our personal conduct of evil practices rather than a simple act of association. That said, since we are sinners and weak, we would be unwise to subject ourselves to a sinful environment, where likely we would be enticed to conduct sinful practices or give in to our evil desires. Everyone has been blessed with certain or unique strengths, which suggests that some of us may be able to resist sin more times than not then others.

Hopefully, this is not just godless chatter associated with quarreling about words (2Tim 2:14-19), but I need your prayers with 1Cor 5:11 which states: "But now I am writing you that must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat." As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are tasked to police our church, which could be for the purpose of avoiding any perversion in the application of the Word in the day to day conduct of our lives. Hence, what are guidelines to say how we should judge and expel anyone since we ourselves are not without sin?

Well, here is my problem. The devil knows scripture better than any of us. Hence, I have little hope to win an argument or quarrel with Satan based on scripture based on my fallen world background. Plus, Satan will always play the sinner card, where beyond guilt, maybe some day someone could judge me and say that I should be expel. Hence, what is the threshold for declaring a brother or sister in Christ immoral or wicked? It seems to me the history of Christianity has too many examples of witch hunts, which unfortunately reflects how the church can be perverted from within in name of God.

Of course, it would be easy say that I should turn this over to the Spirit, which perhaps, the reason for this blog posting with hope the Spirit will speak through one of the readers. I ask for continued prayers.

Who is a Christian?

First, for those absent for the Sept.1 Mens Bible study, Ted did a great job in leading us this morning.

A closing question was posed on whether the President is a christian, as he claims he is? I have pondered this same question from time to time. For that matter, I even questioned the claims of Catholics, Mormoms and 7 day Adventist that they are christian. Then, a little uneasiness creeps over me (maybe the Spirit?) that reverses the focus of question on me being a christian as claimed.

Is being a christian defined in the Bible, or was its origin from the early Romans who used it to label early believers. I would dare to say that if being a christian is based on a man derived definition, I would hesitate to give creedance to its authority.

Hence, where does this train of thought leads us? Perhaps we should focus on our own belief and actions as being a "christian" rather than on others being christians. Essentially we could fall into the pitfall of judging others. In that regard, I defer to Matthew 7:1-7 (NIV):

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."

Ok, is this a stretch to apply this Bible verse, to the question at hand? Maybe or maybe not, perhaps depending on the extent of judgment being made to answer the question. I believe some discrenment is warrented to determine whether one actions or beliefs are based on the Word merit my support, but it seems to be a threshold, where my judgment is beyond my authority (i.e., who is a christian). Perhaps this is a cop out, but I am only suggesting that Matthew would probably recommend some restraint in judging who is and is not a believer because we do not truly know the hearts of our fellow men or women.

This thread is posted to spark discussion, and hopefully, the Spirt, through your responses or input can enlighten me and others as well on this subject. We are tasked to pray for our leaders, presuming they doing God's worker whether they are true believers or not with respect to accepting Christ and God's grace.

Consequence of Sin

Some personal matters have been weighing heavily on my heart, and I asked the Holy Spirit to help me vent some revelations on my part in the Spirit of love.

In our men's bible group discussion on how the Holy Spirit can manifest it self in us or others, speaking in tongues was cited as a possible indication of being filled with the Spirit. However, I would like redirect the focus on 1 Cor. 13-1-3 which says:
"If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing." [NIV]

Furthermore, Galatians 5:22-23 says: " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." {NIV]

I believe God is trying to make a point by listing love as the first attribute to describe the fruit of the Spirit. Hence, if we do not have love in our hearts for one another, we are quenching the Spirit.

Ephesians 4:29-31 says: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." [NIV]

Wow, if we interact with each other poorly (i.e., without love), this grieves the the Holy Spirit. So I ask the question, were we created to exist for God's purpose as individuals or as a community?

From the day we were born, we bought into the universal LIE that existence is centered on "ME". Our personal relationship with God is about "ME". Our personal sin is about "ME". Yet, the Spirit is gently saying that our existence is not about "ME" but "YOU" my brothers and sisters.

I openly ask forgiveness, because I now know that my personal sins have and can affect those around me whether they be strangers, friends and family. Joshua Chapter 7 describes how the sin of one individual (Achan) can affect and result in dire consequences beyond his family but a whole nation (Israel).

Perhaps, that is why Paul commanded expel the immoral brother in 1 Corinthians 5 because of implications of communal consequences to the Church as the result of the sin of one individual.

Are we not concern about the state of affairs of this country? Have we not share our concerns about this country no longer having the favor of God? Have we not pointed fingers at our leaders for being Godless? Yet, do not all of us are to blame and have responsibility?

By our own mouths we profess to be sinners, and I more times than not, as if it was some badge of honor. For that, I asked for God's forgiveness. I am a shame to say, that I failed to realize how my personal sins can have dire consequences beyond me, to friends, family, community and nation. I bowed to the cycle of sin, where it is accepted that we will sin again over and over, and that we are weak and blame Satan for our actions. Well guess what guys, if we are all doing this on a personal basis, collectively it results in a society and nation of sinners.

In recognition to those blessed souls, who are without sin, please forgive my assertive assumption that we are all sinners. I ask in the Spirit of love, that this blog post stimulates some dialogue and realization that "personal" sin is misleading because of the implications beyond the individual or "ME". If we truly have the Spirit in us, because of love, how can we continue to sin because it can hurt those around us and even ultimately this nation in the eyes of our Creator, GOD?

In love, I ask for your and God's forgiveness for those petty transgressions and sins that I have done against you all my brothers and sisters in Christ.

New Barna Update Appropriate to Our Study

You might want to review the results of Barna's latest update "How Different Generations View and Engage with Charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity".

A couple of pertinent excerpts:

• "The four generations also demonstrated contrasting perspectives about the Holy Spirit. Despite their skepticism about the charismatic and Pentecostal expressions of Christianity, older believers stood out from younger Christians for their likelihood of saying that they “consistently allow their lives to be guided by the Holy Spirit.” Elders (64%) and Boomers (59%) outpaced Busters (54%) and Mosaics (38%) on this viewpoint.
  
  
• "In spite of their openness to the charismatic and Pentecostal elements of the Christian faith, the youngest believers offered an unexpected, existentialist view of the Holy Spirit. In total, 68% of Mosaic Christians said they believe that the third person of the trinity is just “a symbol of God’s power or presence, but is not a living entity.” This compares to 59% of Busters, 55% of Boomers, and 56% of Elders who believe the Holy Spirit is merely symbolic."

Be sure to see the chart "Generations and the Holy Spirit" for some revealing (#2) and shocking (#3, #8) statistics. Goes to show you that we can be a product of what we are taught (or not taught). (The headline contains an active hotlink to go there.)

IBG / 04-08-10