Da Vinci

I hope you will be patient with me as I keep on talking like a fool. Please bear with me. I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. For I promised you as a pure bride to one husband, Christ. But I fear that somehow you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to Christ, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent. You seem to believe whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach about a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. 2 Corinthians 11:1-4

"The Da Vinci Code" was released in theaters this past week. I'm sure you've heard of it. You may have read it - I did. You may have already seen the movie. For those of you who don't know much about it - it's a fast paced conspiracy theory story that makes claims about Christ and the Bible that are, to say the least, very unconventional. Here are a few examples of the claims as I remember them:

1. Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and their bloodline survives today.
2. The early church did not believe Jesus was divine… that was voted on and forced on the Church some 300 years after His death.
3. To support this notion of a "Divine Jesus", the church left out some of the best early writings when deciding what would be the official bible.

You can see the impact of this book in every media outlet. Just go to the bookstore... turn on the TV… look at the major magazines. I clearly think it's something we need to spend time praying about. Specifically, let's pray for the following:

1. For believers - Many believers will see this movie and for some, it will shake their faith. Let's pray that these believers will investigate the book's claims and actually come through with a stronger faith. There are lots of good debunking the da vinci code books out there. It doesn't take much effort to see through the revisionist's history "The Da Vinci Code" is trying to push. It also doesn't take much effort on our part to be armed to answer questions our fellow believers may have.

2. For unbelievers - I was agnostic for a good portion of my life. Having never read the bible, I assumed it was a collection of rules and fairy tales. Religion was a crutch for the weak - the opiate of the masses. At the risk of over-generalizing, I think the views pushed in The Da Vinci Code are not that far from what the average unbeliever consciously or unconsciously believes already. As such, let's pray that seeing this movie will at least spark curiosity and debate. Let's pray that it gives us the opportunity to talk to unbelievers that we may have never talked to. Genesis 50:20 says You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Our God is big enough to use a film like this to actually save people. Once again, let's be armed to answer questions if and when the opportunity arises.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

The dust

In ancient Jewish culture, many young Jewish boys would strive to become a Rabbi. After several years of studying the scriptures, the best of the best would be selected by a Rabbi to be his apprentice. It was the common desire of an apprentice to be "covered in the dust of his Rabbi". That's a figure of speech that means to always be close to the Rabbi so as not to miss any wisdom that comes from his mouth. Quite literally, it means to follow so close in the Rabbi's footsteps that even as the Rabbi walks down the road, the dust that he kicks up will settle on the apprentice. I want to follow Christ that close. I want to be covered in His dust as I seek to know Him… His wisdom… His love… His forgiveness… His sacrifice… His grace. However, what I want to do and what I actually do are two different things. I think I'm more likely to be covered in the dust of the world. I've said in previous messages - It's not easy, but it is simple. Quite simply, it’s all about Jesus. Whenever it starts to get more complicated in my mind, my eyes are no longer on Him.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Money

This week we are gong to pray about money. Specifically, we are going to pray about our attitude toward money. A few weeks back I heard a pastor talking on this exact subject. The two questions asked were as follows:

1. How do you behave when you have a lot of money?
2. How do you behave when you don't have any money?

The pastor's claim was that unless you behave the same in both situations, you still have things to learn. Is your faith the same in both? Is your trust the same in both? Is your contentment the same in both? Is your humility the same in both? Do you still have a charitable heart in both situations? Some of you may have only ever been either one or the other - always with money to spare or always barely scraping by. If that's the case, you're going to just have to imagine what your attitude would be like in the opposite situation.

This week we are praying that we develop the right attitude toward money. That it doesn't become our "God"… our security. We are praying that its presence doesn't give us pride and that its absence doesn't diminish our trust in Him.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12-13.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Bennett driving - part 2

When Bennett first started driving, we spent several weeks only making right-hand turns. It's amazing how you can get almost anywhere with only right-hand turns. It's not terribly efficient however. Shortly after graduating to mixing in a few left-hand turns, Bennett was forced to start doing some lane changes. The easiest way to explain the problem with the lane change is that whichever way his head is looking, that seems to be the way the wheel wants to turn. In other words, as he looks over in the left lane to check his blind spot, he starts drifting over into the left lane. I can remember that I used to do the same thing when I first started driving. The day I got my license, I almost ran off the road as I looked over and waived at some friends that I was driving past.

The point is, we move toward whatever we focus on. This week we are praying that our focus is Christ. As we walk the narrow path, he has to be our focus… Our center… Integral to every part of our lives... Not just an add-on. Luke 9:57-62 talks about the cost of following Jesus. At the end of this passage, Jesus says "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Let's pray that we learn to keep our eyes on Christ - Always.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob