But it does raise questions among some Christ followers.  Is it good to see and pay money for shows like this?  I mean there were scenes with graphic violence, some really hard language, and at the end the Bible is meticulously placed between the Torah and the Quran.  How do you even interpret that last one?  Were the writers showing that the Bible was superior to the other two or more than likely just implying there was no difference between them?  Yes, there were some real issues in the movie and if they are a conviction on your conscience, then you need to pass it by.  But on the other hand no one should judge someone else who did watch it.  For while I would not want little kids to see this show, I believe that Christ followers ought to give this sort of thing another look.  Here are some reasons why.

-The Kingdom is bigger than the church building walls.  The point of the Kingdom of God is that it is lived out in our everyday lives and not just a Sunday morning routine.  We can’t do that if we cloister ourselves.  There are a lot of people who have seen The Book of Eli who don’t know Christ and if we ignore everything the world puts out, we won’t be able to communicate with them.

-The Church’s tendency to separate the sacred from the secular.  Yes, there is clear sin.  There was sin in Eli.  When it comes to black and white sin the response is clear; avoid it.  Don’t justify it, stay away from it.  But there was truth in the movie as well.  I was amazed at the amount of scripture that was either alluded to or directly quoted.  I think one of my favorite parts was the last line that was taken directly from 2 Timothy 2:7 – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”   So, take the good and trash the bad.

-I’ve heard that Denzel is a Christ follower and I hope that’s true. If so, I don’t think he sold out in the movie.  But my take is that he was just trying to do what I do a lot and that’s engage the world in conversations they understand so that we can ultimately show them the love of Christ.  Yes the Torah and the Quran were shown at the end of the movie.  But I’ve got a hunch that anyone searching for answers and saw the movie is more likely to go out and buy a Bible rather than the other two “books” and that excites me.

-We can learn from them.  Honestly, one thought I had after the show was, “Dude? Wish I had the whole Bible memorized.”  Yes, I experienced a bit of conviction of my own need to get back to some scriptural memorization.  If Christ followers really believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, then why don’t we spend more time internalizing it and applying it? 

In short, I thought the movie was great.  If you saw the show, what were your thoughts?  What other movies have you seen where Hollywood has tried to honestly enter the spiritual realm?

So if you’re out there Denzel and you’re reading this, as the Brits say, “Good Show”.  Oh, and by the way, if you need a supporting actor for your next flick, let me know and I’ll be happy to oblige.

Pre Prayer Journey Preparation

Reasons For Unanswered Prayers

     In the week before our prayer journey we would like the people going on the journey to consider examining their hearts so that they will be able to better listen to God and get answers to prayer. We would also encourage you to spend a day in fasting for further purification. Listed below are ten biblical reasons that prayers are not answered. Please examine your heart this week and seek God’s forgiveness. We want everyone to be as equipped as possible when they arrive for the prayer journey. All scripture quotes are NLT.

 -If we have sin in our hearts God will not hear or answer our prayers. Psalm 66: 17-20: “For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke. If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, my Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer and did not withdraw his unfailing love from me.”  Please confess the sins you may have in your heart.

 -If we are ignoring God, He may not hear or answer our prayers. Proverbs 1:24-28: “I called you so often, but you didn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you- when calamity overcomes you like a storm, when you are engulfed by trouble, and when anguish and distress overwhelm you. I will not answer when they cry for help. Even though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.” Please ask God to forgive you if you have been ignoring Him.

 -If we are ignoring God’s word, He may not hear or answer our prayers. Proverbs 28:9: “The prayers of a person who ignores the law are despised.”  Please ask God to forgive you if you have been ignoring His word.

 -Our prayers may not be heard or answered if we have an ungiving spirit. Malachi 3:8-9: “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! But you ask, What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you? You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Please ask God to remove the curse of an ungiving spirit if this applies to you.  

 -Our prayers may not be heard or answered if we are hypocrites. Matthew6:5: “And now about prayer. When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on the street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get.” Please ask God to forgive you if you have a hypocritical spirit.                                                                                                                                  

-Our prayers my not be heard or answered if we have an unforgiving heart. Matthew 6:14-15: “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Please ask God to forgive your unforgivness and forgive those people now if this applies to you.

 -Our prayers may not be heard or answered if we have a condition of self pride. Luke 18:10-14: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee, stood my himself and prayed this prayer: I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t sin, I don’t commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income. But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow saying, O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner. I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, and the humble will be honored.” Please ask God to forgive your proud heart if you have one.

-Our prayers may not be heard or answered if we suffer from self doubt. James 1:5-8: “If you need wisdom- if you want to know what God wants you to do- ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can’t make up their minds. They wave back and forth in everything they do.” Ask God to forgive you if you have doubted what He can and will do.

 -Our prayers may not be heard or answered if we are selfish. James 4:3: “And even when you do ask, you don’t get it because your whole motive is wrong- you want only what will give you pleasure.” If you have a need to ask forgiveness for selfish motives do it.

 -Our prayers may not be heard or answered if we have an unhealthy marriage. I Peter 3:7: “In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat her with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. If you don’t treat her as you should, your prayers will not be heard.” I believe this applies to the wives as well. Please ask God to forgive any unhealthy marital situation if this applies to you.

       We devised this list in no way to be legalistic or to judge the hearts (only God does that) of those that will participate in this prayer journey. Our goal here is to give you some information to glean on and if it applies to you ask God to cleanse your heart. We want the people that formulate the prayer team to be the most effective they can be for God’s Kingdom. It is a big responsibility to plant a new church in a community, we don’t want to do it without God leading the charge (Psalm 127:1), and that is why it is very important for all of us involved to be able to hear his voice.

But I’m also thankful for a guy most of you won’t know named Morris. I met Morris for the first time on a college inner city trip in Atlanta back in the spring of 89. Then I ended up going to school with him when I transferred to Ozark Christian College that fall. But Morris went home to be with Christ this past month after faithfully serving Christ for a number of years in Honduras.  When I got the note from some dear friends in Tegucigalpa, it caused me to pause for a long time. One thing that struck me about all this was a sense of God’s faithfulness. I knew in that moment that Morris is now enjoying his eternal reward. Here’s the deal that struck me. Morris was never a flashy guy by the world’s standards and he suffered from various sicknesses through life. Because of that, unfortunately, Morris was never going to be invited to talk at a big convention. Sadly, in the eyes of men (even some of Christ followers) most people didn’t see a lot in him. But yet here’s the real deal on Morris, he was a guy who was giving all he had to follow Christ and speak up for him in whatever way he could. He was dedicated. He lived and breathed Kingdom Principles. But he will never get the applause of men or other man made accolades here. But now, he is experiencing his great reward. When I got the news of Morris going home, I just had the feel that he was what Jesus was talking about when he said, “the first will be last, and the last first.” Kind of like the kids at our Kamp this week.

Many people say they want to be like someone Great. They want to emulate a president, a great athlete, or a super star preacher. But I just wonder how different things would be if we all followed the lead of a guy named Morris.

PS Note from Jim Riley: (Good friend and Missionary in Honduras) Some have been asking about where to send memorials for Morris’ family. Send the check to Nortonville Christian Church, PO BOX 347, Nortonville, KS 66060. In the memo please put: HONDURAN MISSION MORRIS BATESON.

Oksana and the Blinchiki

I’ve always said that I could eat Tex-Mex food two or three times a week and I think that’s probably true.  But tonight was a dinner full of memories as we got together with some friends in North Houston for Borscht and Blinchiki.  Our chef, Oksana, is from Uzbekistan which used to be part of the Soviet Union.  So it was a lot of fun trying to remember our Russian and the names of the great dishes we had while living in Moscow back in the mid 90s.  I love trying foods from all over the world.  Probably the worst thing I’ve ever eaten was on a college internship in Chile back in 88 and I’d say that the best food I’ve ever had was in Nagaland, India.  But I think one of the greatest parts of these fun food festivities is not just the palate, but the friendships, culture, and Kingdom experiences that come along with them.  Cultural because we are all different and I love that.  But from the Kingdom standpoint, it is a reminder that the Kingdom of Heaven is not an American thing, but a God thing.  The real Kingdom of God, or Heaven, is something that Jesus said is within us.  It stretches all over the world and across time.  It will continue to expand in the hearts and minds of God’s children until Christ comes back.  So in a very real sense, the Kingdom is all over the world and transcends all cultures.  Having grown up in Texas, you could say that Tex-Mex really is a “national” or cultural reality for me.  But because the Kingdom of God is so big, there is really no one “national food” for Kingdom citizens.  But rather, it’s kind of a multi course banquet.  Now THAT smells good.  Fish Tacos anyone?

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:21

Oswald Chambers

     “Do you suffer on account of somebody else or for somebody else? In your agonizing prayers before the Lord on behalf of what you consider a “distressing situation,” are you longing for release because the “distressing situation” hurts and discomforts you? If so, you are not having fellowship with His suffering. But if your soul, out of love, longs and bears in a voluntary and vicarious way for others, then you are having fellowship with Jesus in His sufferings.
     When your Christian work seemingly is in ruins and you wail before God, is it because the work of your hands is in ruins? Are you tempted to say, “I thought this was to be my life work; now it is broken and blighted and shattered”? If so, you do not know what fellowship with HIS sufferings means. But when you see people defiling the work of God, making HIS house of worship a place for worldly business for the engendering of false affections and pursuits (I would also add a crying out for those perishing without knowing the love of Christ) and you agonize before the Lord with tears, then you are learning to have fellowship with our Lord in HIS sufferings.”

Oswald Chambers
Author of
My Utmost for His Highest

I think Chambers was on to something there, as so many times our prayers of anguish have more to do with getting us out of our tense situations than for the good of others. Something to chew on.

Anyway, I got a quick response from one of my cousins in Dallas the other day to one of my recent posts on FACEBOOK.  The content dealt with an upcoming sermon title I was about to preach and her comment really illustrates a need for discussion on what the real deal of Christian faith is all about.  With her permission, I’ve put those posts below and will make some more comments as you’ve had a chance to think about the issues yourself.  Please feel free to add any comments or questions you might have, but just remember to be respectful of all parties no matter what side of the discussion you fall on.  Thanks and enjoy. 

(My Face book Post)

Discovering the Mystery of the CHURCH; Part III. It’s all about who? (No, not THE WHO)

(Bonnie)

Shoot, I like “The Who” better than church…

(me)

LOVE IT! But unfortunately, what you hate is the Counterfeit church. It’s the real CHURCH that rocks. Hey maybe you can shoot me everything that you think stinks about the church and we can blog about it. I’ve got a whole section at kingdomology.org on the authentic CHURCH, though it’s been a while since I’ve added to it. Hmm sounds like a time to dialogue. So go ahead Bonnie, throw it all at me, I want to hear it all.

(Bonnie)

I taught my kids from a very early age what a hypocrite is. That’s what I would be if I went to church. I’m tired of hearing about good Christian values and then see how these people are outside of church. Uh, it’s not for me. I am what you see (metaphorically speaking), like it or not. I took a great class on the Old Testament. It was taught by the minister that married Jeff and me. I loved it because to me it was like a history class. Jeff and the kids go to church. It’s nondenominational. Jeff has a very deep seeded faith and I respect that. Just as he respects my heathenism. I hope this explains something about me:).

(Bonnie)

I believe there is something out there bigger than us but not necessarily called/named God. I believe that if we lead a good life and teach our children from an early age to be good productive citizens then they will carry on our legacy. I don’t need to believe in something I can’t see or a God that was not nice in the Old Testament. I don’t need to prove my love for “Him” in order to be a good person.

Thanks Reggie,

Dear Family and Christian Friends:
You have heard the tragic news from Haiti. You know as much as we know. We have tried desperately to telephone some of our Christian friends in Haiti and we have emailed all whom have email. Up to this moment we have heard from only one preacher in Gonaives. Brother Solonique said that Gonaives felt the earthquake but it did not damage anything and all are okay in Gonaives. So at least we know the JESUS LOVES ME ORPHANGE home is okay.  You know that we have worked in Haiti since 1971 and that we have made well over 100 trips to that nation.

Looking at the photos on TV and listening to the reports we realize that even if we could go there today we would be unable to do anything. Until the rescue workers and US disaster team and UN Military do their work of rescue there is nothing we can do except pray.

I believe it is necessary for us to gather all the emergency relief money that we can. When the airlines restore service and when it becomes possible for us to go and help we will need all the resources we can gather to help our Christian brothers and sisters who have survived. You know the victims have lost their homes, furniture, bedding, kitchen utensils everything.

We have heard that there have been 33 aftershocks. We have seen the Presidential Palace in ruins. We have heard that the UN Headquarters building collapsed and that the loss of life among the military is very heavy. Early reports estimate thousands are dead.  WHITE FIELDS OVERSEAS EVANGELISM will be ready to do all possible to help. Please pray for all the more than 600 Christian Churches in Haiti and for all our brothers and sisters.

In Christian love,
Reggie and Esther

In the past, I’ve taken some down time around late December or early January for reflection.  Usually this is a good time to review a spiritual journal from the past year, read through sections of the Bible, and just try to listen for God’s voice. When I’ve done this I’ve found it easier to organize and set out some goals for the upcoming 12 months. This past January I did some additional things which I plan to repeat again for 2010.  The first thing I’ll do is to ask four or five mentors what their advice would be for me in the next year. The second thing will be to work through an expanded list of questions that I got from guy named Bob Roberts who is a preacher, church planter and has been around the block a lot longer than I have. Finally, after a season of praying and reflecting, I’ll then take the major points from God’s Word, lessons learned over the past year, answers from the questions below, and council from trusted advisors to develop a plan to go forward. 

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found that my problem at times is not finding things to do, but being focused enough to really do the right things. We have plenty of business in our society, but not a whole lot of solid direction. So let me challenge you to take some serious down time somewhere over the next few days to be still. Be still before God and ask Him to teach you something from the past and rightly point you to the future. You won’t regret it.

1.  What has God called me to be / do?

2.  Do I know why I’m doing what I’m doing?

3.  What is it that I bring to the table?

4.  What are my greatest strengths?

5.  What are my greatest weaknesses?

6.  How am I organized?

7.  How is my team organized?

 8.  What are two or three things that I could do which would bring an increase this next year?

 9.  What are some of my biggest obstacles and how can they be turned into opportunities? 

 10.  What excites me most?

 11. Do my beliefs match my actions?

 12. What are two or three changes that I could make which would be most pleasing to God?

 Is there anything else you would add?