The church today is anaemic.

These were the words of one of my seminary professors this summer.  I have to say that this statement, along with the discussion that followed it, have haunted me since that day… because of the intesity of the Truth in that statement.

We live in the middle of a War - one that is unseen, but not unnoticed!  The Bible clearly teaches that we live admist a Spiritual War, and yet the Church, who are supposed to stand firm on the side of Truth do not know how to use the weapons we have been given.  There are huge numbers of people who call themselves Christian but who don’t know the point of their sword from it’s butt.  The church today is anaemic.  It doesn’t know the Word of God.  Do you?  Can you weild the text to fight the Enemy?  Can you parry his blows with Prayer?  Can you knock him off his feet with your Faith?

As the professor digressed and gave one of the semonettes that are worth every penny it takes to be there, he ventured onto the topic of angelology and demonology.  Because we do such a poor job of being in the Word, the Church today has a really weak (if any) understanding of angels, demons, and the person of Satan.  As I pondered what was being said I scrolled through my mental harddrive to pull out all I could think of concerning the subject and I had to stop and confess that I am weak in this area.  Who is Satan?  What was his role before he rebelled?  What are the different ranks of angels and demons?  and on and on.

As class ended I asked my professor to suggest some books to read to supplement my study of Scripture to help expand my understanding of angels and demons.  He suggested one book in particular as a starting point.  The Invisible War by Donald Grey Barnhouse has blown my mind!  My professor was even more correct than I thought, we are frightfully anaemic!

How many times have you seen or thought of Satan portrayed as the red man with horns, hoofs and trident?  How many times have you pictured the ugly tempter in the garden of Eden, sleezing over Eve enticing her to sin?  How many times have you pictured him frustrated, jumping up and down in anger at his plans being foiled?  Oh how wrong we are.

Lucifer, the morning star, the highest of the angels, most beautiful of all that God had created.  Have you ever imagined that?  The most wonderful?  most beautiful?  How different does that make the temptation of Eve appear… when God’s most wonderful, beautiful picturesque, highest appointed being approaches her to talk.  He calls upon the serpent to be his mouthpiece, his prophet, and he plans seeds of doubt in Eve’s mind.  What a different picture that is to the scary red monster deceiving her!

I will never do the book justice in trying to summerize its content in a few short paragraphs, but I have to say that it’s a “must-read” as it has given me much food for thought.  I had never really dismantled the picture of Satan society had passed down to me.  I had never stopped to examine or to ponder the various ranks of the angels and demons and the implications of that for us.  I had never examined the Scripture long enough to piece together where in the Biblical picture Satan rebelled, what his position was, how his pride got in the way of his ministry, and how blind it made him to the things he was doing.  I had never been able to grasp why God would one day allow us to judge the angels.  or how he allowed Satan to continue living after his rebellion.  The list goes on.

This is a book I will read many times again.  But I must post a word of caution.  It is a book that needs to be read with discernment.  You may not agree with everything the writer says theologically, if that be the case, then you have to ask God to illuminate the nuggest of truth that are in the pages and to confirm your views where you are correct, or give you the grace to change where you hold a wrong view.  Barnhouse feels strongly about his beliefs.  Some paragraphs I wholeheartedly agreed at and read with vigorous nodding.  Some points I drew large question marks next to because I’m not sure (becuase I need to spend more time studying God’s word) and on many occasions I read a line with a feeling or shock horror, only to open my Bible and systematically work through examples to see things that I had never noticed before.

How are you doing with this area of your understanding?  Are you happy being an anaemic Christian? or like me, do you want to know His Word, be proficient in using your weapons, and know the Enemy and his ways so that you can fight Him effectively.

I have seen the end of our story (Book of Revelation) and it is not good!  Satan will continue to sow his seeds of deception until the day he is brought down!  He will continue to keep us ignorant of who he and and what he does, because that we he is freer to tempt us away from the Truth.  Will you let him?

Father, I pray for the church, that you would continue to pour your Grace upon us leading us in the Truth.  Oh how I hate seeing an anaemic church.  Raise up godly men and women who will lead people in the pursuit of you: in a love for you, a hunger for your Word, a thirst for Prayer. and unshakeable faith.  You are still moving in the world today.  You will shall be done!  May we do our part to stand strong.

]]> http://scottburns.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/the-invisible-war/feed/ Scotty http://scottburns.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/humility-true-greatness/ http://scottburns.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/humility-true-greatness/#comments Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:43:25 +0000 Scotty http://scottburns.wordpress.com/?p=477

I’ve just finished this book by C.J. Mahaney.   It’s by no means “the best book ever”, but it’s a nice simple read, practically portraying the importance, or even the necessity, of humility in the life of a believer.

I admire how Mahaney’s own humility comes out throughout the book, painting a far-from-perfect image of himself as he pursues the Saviour in his own quest towards humility.  In the foreword, a powerful example of his humility is seen.  Mahaney was Senior Pastor of Covenant Life Church, but stepped down from this role to pass it on to Joshua Harris.  Unlike most stories like this, Mahaney didn’t up and leave, but moved himself down to associate pastor in order to support Josh as he grew into the role.  How many people do you know who willingly took a demotion in order that someone else would be able to step up into the role God was calling them to?

Of course, pride is the antithesis of humility and so it’s impossible to write about this topic without challenging pride in our lives.  He defines pride and humility as follows:

Humility is honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness. (p22)

Pride is when sinful human beings aspire to the status and position of God refuse to acknowledge their dependence upon Him. (p31)

Later he says the essense of pride is:

contending for supremacy with God, and lifting up our hearts against him.

Pride is one area of sin I deal with on a daily basis.  So often this describes me.  Although I don’t intentionally set out to compete with God, that’s what I’m doing in any moment where I think I can do something apart from God.  I regularly have to check my heart and take active steps towards humbling myself.  The world teaches that greatness is reaching the top, having the most money, the most power, the most authority… but the reality, as portrayed in Scripture, is that true greatness is found in serving.

Mahaney’s #1 suggestion for growing in humility is to (daily) reflect on the wonder of the cross.  At no point is humilty more real than when facing the truth of our fallen sinful state, and the tragic humiliation Christ experienced in His love for us.  The more we acknowledge our dependence on God, the less room there is for pride in our lives… and believe me, it’s much better to work at cultivating humility, that to allow God, or your sin, to bring you down to earth!

This journey I am on is a humbling one.  My prideful heart doesn’t like depending on God’s provision through the people around me.  I hate having to ask people to consider supporting me.  I hate having to depend on other people for financial support, or for taxiing me back and forth.  I hate that it is so often such a huge relief when someone offers to pay for my coffee.  To my pride… it’s humiliating.  To my redeemed heart, it’s the opposite… I praise God for the examples of love and support I experience from the people around me.  I just pray that I continue to love and to serve back.

Lord, help me to cultivate humility, always seeking to serve those you place around me

One of the books I am reading gives a quote from a book by Paul David Tripp that really grabbed my attention:

My self-perception is as accurate as a carnival mirror.  If I am going to see myself clearly, I need you to hold the mirror of God’s Word in front of me.

What an amazing and yet simple image.  In my pursuit of godliness I have something working to my disadvantage—my sinful nature!  Becuase of the sinful nature within me, my opinion of myself is distorted.  I don’t see myself the way others see me, being unaware of (or refusing to acknowlege) the flaws in my character.

Praise God for community.  In order to help me see the things I need to work on, He has drawn around me some close friends who point out my issues and encourage me to line them up with what is found in God’s Word.  I pray that we would be people who lovingly hold up the mirror of God’s Word to one another.

So yesterday was the first day where I felt awake. I’ve had such a hard time with jet lag this trip, taking me 8 days to get back to normal. I’ve had a really hard time sleeping and some nights as much as I was tired, I would lie in bed until 2 or 3am unable to get to sleep, but too tired to read or journal. It’s been rather frustrating.

However, it’s good to be back, and it’s been great to see everyone again. It’s a strange break in that I’m still working on assignments for my summer school classes and doing some preparation work for some of the Greek classes this next year.

I’m reading away, trying to get through all the books I brought home to read, trying to see as much of my friends and family as possible, and trying to do the necessary fundraising for this next year. God wants me there… so He’ll provide.

Coming home is always a great time for reflecting on this journey. What a ride! I truly love the time I’m getting to spend at Multnomah and all the people I have met and spent time with. 3 years ago God asked me to leave everything and follow Him and I did… and it’s been an amazing adventure. I have changed and grown; I have seen parts of the world I never thought I would make it too; have met people I will love forever; I know what it feels like to walk away from the familiar into the unknown; I have been hurt and betrayed; I have feel some of my lowest lows; I have made mistakes and learned from them; I have seen God move in my life and in the lives of others in amazing ways; and I have seen Him use me and provide for me in ways that have grown my faith tremendously.

The highs and the lows, the good and the bad… I wouldn’t erase a single moment. While sitting at a bonfire with the Young Adult community at Grace, the question was asked “if you could relieve a moment of your life what would it be and why”… after 20 minutes of thinking I bodly asserted that I would relive the last two years and not erase a single moment. The lows have been worth the highs, the bad helped me appreciate the good, the mistakes taught me valuable lessons… and all of it… has brought me closer to God.

I wouldn’t exchange it for anything! It is the prayer of my heart that you too would experience the hoy of abandoning your life to the will of the Father. That you would cast your cares on Him and go where He asks you to go, do what He wants you to do, and be who He made you to be!

Praise God for jet lag!

I really like that name… the Klickitat River… it’s cool.  Well, actually, the river itself is freezing, but you know what I mean!

My last weekend of the semester was great!  We plannign and camping and rafting trip with The Gathering (the Young Adult Community at Grace Chapel).  On Friday night we drove up to a campsite right next to the Klickitat River, had dinner and hung out around a bonfire.  On Saturday morning we woke up, ate breakfast and headed out to meet the rafting guides.  We spent 5 hours or so rafting the river in the scorching sun, finishing up right at the campsite in time for dinner and more fun around the fire.  Then on Sunday we had breakfast, packed up, and made it back to Grace in time for church.

I had never been white water rafting before… but I sure will be doing it again!  It was amazing.  We were kitted out in wet suits, an array of bright colours which make the photos erally good!  We rafted down the freezing water which is primarily run off from the snow capped mountains nearby.  We enjoyed a day of blazing sun.  And amongst it all got to connect on a deeper level with many of the people who were there.

There were 8 in my boat, and one of my favourite moments was later in the day when we were floating on some gentle water.  The two girls at the back were finding ample opportunity to share the Gospel with our rafting guide, and the rest of us were having some fun conversation about Romans, and about memorizing Scripture.  I remember stopping for a moment to soak in the amazing Creation and relish the fact that all of us were focussed on the person who created it all!

It was a great day! The mosquitos appeared to have a great time too judging by the amount of bites I ended up with.  I think it is safe to assume that Scottish people taste better than Americans because I had 2 or 3 times the number of bites… and I was wearing bug spray.  Irresistable I say!

Today in some fields the science of November has discarded the science of February. In the basement of our great libraries are past editions of the encyclopedias which reveal the shifting change in man’s opinions about science, but always the Word of God stands unchanged.

…Through all of the shifting of the hypotheses of men, the Bible stands alone in its unique position.

As the pendulum swings from hypothesis to hypothesis, as theories are advanced and discarded, the little of true knowledge that is acquired once and for all, and which is being increased grain by grain, is always in line with the truths announced in the Word of God.

Donald G. Barnhouse, The Invisible War, p70-71

I’ve just finished reading the simple little book The Practice of the Presence of God. It is a collection of spiritual insights from this man, who upon entering a monastary took on the name he is more commonly known by… Brother Lawrence.

My favourite part of the book, no surprise, is the short biography at the end. I hope I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but this man’s faith was mark by two or three important characteristics…

• He was a man of the Word! He had a deep love and respect for the Scriptures. This is what lies behind his understanding of who God is.
• He was a man of Prayer! He committed hours a day to prayer, primarily reflecting on the attributes of God he would read about in Scripture, and praying them back to God!
• He was a man of Humility! I haven’t mentioned this much in the other biographies I have read, but Men of God are men of Humility. They know how vast God is, how insignificant they are, and how much we have to depend on God for all we have and all we do!

Nicholas Herman devoted his life to sharing with people how simple it was to have a profound faith. He lived what he taught, showing people that by focusing their attention on God, and being disciplined in that focus, they could transform their lives.

The church today is in such a bad way because it is filled with Christians looking for shortcuts. The way to grow in faith is to use it. It is impossible to be an effective Christian outside of the Word of God and prayer. Please don’t read this and dismiss it. If you consider yourself a member of God’s church, evaluate these aspects of your life. If you want to be of use to God, start to develop the habits now of spending time prayerfully in the Word, and wordfully in Prayer!

I praise God for men like Brother Lawrence, who demonstrate these truths to the world. May my life be a light in the darkness, and a help in areas dimly lit!

I arrived safely back in Scotland. It’s been exciting getting to see friends and family here. (And to all of you in the States… I miss you!) I’ve not got a lot planned at the moment… primarily working on a few assignments for school and beginning to prepare for my fundraising efforts. Text me, Call me, Email Me, Facebook me, or turn up at the door and say hey!

Please join me in prayer as I seek God’s provision. I can’t be in America without His generosity. He called me, and assured me of His provision. Pray that God would lead people to support me in my final year.

I had an interesting conversation on the flight from Portland to Philidelphia, where the girls next to me began to ask my opinion on some of the world’s current affairs. I left the conversation saddened… one of the girls quickly labeled me a conservative, telling me that she is more liberal. As the conversation progressed, I was pretty heart-broken as I listened to the deceptions she has come to believe… seeing a very small and limited God… declaring that the Bible was not God inspired… and explaining that there is no right or wrong, so long as what you do is motivated by love. I sat, I listened, I gently shared my views… and I did everything I could to stop myself from weeping! I spend a lot of time around conservative Christians, and so I forget that there are people who view God and His Word differently than I do.

If my heart hurts, how much more does God’s heart hurt. My life has been set apart and marked by God. My life is fully surrendered to Him, and given over to serving Him. I pray that He will use my life to show people that God is real. That He is still moving. And that His Word is truth!

Isn’t this an awesome picture? Now you’re all thinking, erm… I dunno… you tell me.

Sunday was a pretty cool day in my books. This picture was taken at lunch after church on Sunday. Me, Brian, Peter, and Nolan (and Peter’s son Grant). For those who have no idea…. Brian, is my mentor. I met him “randomly” in Starbucks in Glasgow 4 or 5 years ago now. That random meeting, divinely set up by God, changed the course of my life. I finished my degree, worked with Brian planting a church, and then in obedience to God’s leading, I tore myself away from the people I love and flew out here to Seminary. By God’s doing, Brian is the most influential person in my life. It was a pretty sweet thing to get to see him on this side of the ocean. My friends at church were making fun of me because I was so excited knowing Brian and Kellie were going to be there.

Since getting back from Israel, I got involved with Grace Chapel Community Church, where I’ve been working with Brian’s brother, Peter. My first semester here, Brian’s family got in touch and asked me to spend Thanksgiving with them. It was a great but kinda weird weekend as I hung out with all Brian’s family (without Brian). But got had a plan in that. During that weekend Peter said something that stuck in my mind: “if you need somewhere to get involved, give me a call”. I left here last May, knowing I would be gone for 9 months, and as I left I began to pray about where to get plugged in when I got back. As I researched churches in Portland and prayed about where I would serve, God kept leading me back to Grace Chapel and to Peter’s comment during Thanksgiving. Brian has had a huge influence on me, and a huge impact on my life. And now his brother Peter is also being used to grow and shape me.  I love his heart.  I love his desires.  And it’s such a blessing to get to work alongside him.  It was pretty great to have a chance to sit down with both of them at the same table.

Last, but by no means least… Nolan. What a guy! Nolan, is Peter’s best friend, and now one of my closest friends. In my first week checking out Grace, I went to the guy’s life group and met Nolan. I sat with him and Peter and as we stopped at the end to pray, I listened to the hearts of these guys, and then was reduced to tears as I started to pray, amazed at the transformation I could see God doing in their lives. Afterwards, I sat in a restaurant with all the guys and had a conversation with Nolan that told me we were gonna get on great… he talked about his mentor and best friend Peter. He tried to describe what it was like and the best he could manage was some sighs and grunts. I began to laugh, knowing that those sighs and grunts had been used by me many times as I try to describe the huge impact Brian has had on my life. Since then, we’ve hung out, we’ve worshiped together, prayed and played together… I’ve been welcomed into his family, and built up and encouraged. What a blessing to have this guy around!

It was pretty cool as I sat with Nolan and we grinned from ear to ear as we enjoyed lunch with our mentors. These are three guys who I love. Three guys who God is using to love me and to shape me. Just as it hurt to leave Brian behind to come over here for a season… so it will hurt to leave here and go back to Scotland for the next season of my life.

I have come to realize that following Christ is bittersweet. The deep joy comes from leaving behind the familiar to chase after His will. I leave people I love, to go to people I will grow to love. It’s painful leaving behind loved ones, but God provides more people to love and be loved by. It is now a somewhat familiar feeling, and I wouldn’t exchange it for anything! God’s plan is so much better than mine. I have joy knowing that no matter how difficult the next stage might appear, it will carry with it blessings far beyond my comprehension.

Brian, Peter, Nolan… May God pour blessings on you for the way you have reached out to me in love.

Family, friends, and supporters… I love you.

Every time I sat down to read some more of Mountain Rain (the biography of James O Fraser written by Eileen Crossman) I was inspired and challenged. Since I was a kid I have had a strange understanding of the influence people have on one another, and the logical conclusion when growing in my faith was to be around people who love the Lord. I prayed for years for a mentor who would push me further into God’s arms, and I received a man who far exceeded my prayers!

One of the many amazing things he taught me was to read biographies of the great men and women of the faith, and what a huge impact this has had on me! The life of James Fraser is most definitely a life worthy of imitation.

As with all the great men of faith whose lives I have enjoyed following as I read their biographies, James Fraser gave himself entirely to the Lord. His life was grounded thoroughly in the Word of God and he stayed grounded in it as he carried the gospel to the tribal people in China.

“We need to feed upon the Word of God more than we do. We need more holiness, more prayer. We shall not, then, be in so much danger of mistaking his will” ( p101)

He was a Man of Prayer… the book does a great job of showing the process of him realizing the importance of prayer in his life as he fought in the Spiritual Realm for the lives of the Lisu people. On almost every page there is a snippet of his prayer habits, be those rising early, using his travel time to talk to God, spending hours or days in prayer, fasting often, or finding a solitary place where he would go to pace back and forth and pray out loud (see my previous entry, Postures of Prayer).

Fraser understood the battle that we are a part of. He understood that our ability to walk a pure life was not found in managing our sins, but in fixing our eyes on the Saviour. He understood that it is impossible to deepen our faith apart from prayer. He understood that preaching is just noise if it is not accompanied by the work of the Holy Spirit. And he knew and experienced the reality that our ministry doesn’t depend on us, but on God’s Spirit moving in the lives of those we minister to. More than any other biography I have read yet, Fraser came face to face with the demonic, learning the importance of Spiritual Warfare, and the reality that the Enemy of our Souls is real, and that he is still at work in the world (and in the church ! ) today!

He was a man who loved people deeply. In talking about the way he serves others, a friend writes:

The depth of his inward life in Christ was never more manifested than in his attention to those hundred and one little things which make comfort for others. (p249)

Even D.E.Hoste, the director of the China Inland mission at the time “found him [to be] a man of unusual spiritual power and understanding”. (p143)

Fraser’s ministry was blessed much by God, and as with all of the great men of faith that I’ve read about it is attributed to their deep spiritual lives.

Again I ask, do you want to live a godly life? Do you want to know God’s will and experience freedom from sin? Then ground yourself in God’s Word! Make it a priority in your life. Learn to start your day on your knees asking God to empower you by his Spirit!

My heart breaks over the state of the church. As I heard someone say this week…

the church today is anaemic!

We need to get back to the basics. We need to, like the great men of faith before us, ground ourselves in the Truth of His Word and usher in the power of His Spirit by humbling ourselves in Prayer.