My Review of Strange Fire by John MacArthur

I was excited about reading the book (and reviewing it here), even though his conference by the same name caused quite a stir among many Pentecostals and Charismatics.

As I start this review, let me state I am very, very familiar with John MacArthur's teachings and have read many of his other books and listened to countless sermons of his.  Most of his material is great and I love it; except when he gets on the subject of spiritual gifts, tongues, healing and miracles, and on those subjects I lovingly and respectfully disagree.

When MacArthur stays with scripture, he's an awesome teacher.  But when he closes his mind to charismatics, he also throws out any scriptures that support Charismatics'/Pentecostals' view of miracles as still being for today as well as tongues, etc.

In about 90% or more of this book MacArthur's examples refer to the Word of Faith, TBN or some other false sect of the Charismatic/Pentecostal movement.

Even with the shortcomings cited in the Charismatic/Pentecostal movement, it is usually no more flawed than any other non-charismatic (even cessationist) ministry or church.  Man is flawed and if you look deep enough no one is perfect.  But on the other hand, I am thankful for the many ministers that do represent the Lord in a God glorifying way.

Throughout this book he calls "tongues" gibberish and irrational blabber.  Wow! That seems quite disrespectful and irreverent to call something Charismatics look at as from the HOLY Spirit!  He also calls all healings or miracles that happen when the sick are prayed for as fake. Really, are ALL healing's and miracles that happen in a prayer meeting or through the laying on of hands fake?

Note: I do believe John MacArthur believes God can sovereignly heal or do a miracle today, but it has nothing to do with the gift of healings or miracles as taught among Charismatics.

Based on my reading of this book,  he could have more accurately named it, "Charismatic Chaos II – Exposing the Word of Faith Movement (TBN) in the 21st Century".

All that being said, since he does share some real concerns, I found his book somewhat helpful.  I also found it informative on how a cessationist's mind set works.

Interestingly, it has made me think all the more how precious it is to me to be a conservative Continuationist.

John MacArthur is a wonderful teacher when he sticks to the Bible passages and stays away from this issue, and very possibly a Biblical view called Continuationism as believed by Charismatics.

My recommendations on this subject from a Continuationist's view would be Wayne Grudem's book  "Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine" (Covers many doctrines), or his book "Bible Doctrine" (abridged from Systematic Theology).

Also two book that I know of, but have not read, that have been written by Charismatics as a response to John MacArthur's "Strange Fire" are "Authentic Fire" by Michael Brown and "Holy Fire" by R.T. Kendall.

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review blogger's program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Short Devotional: God's Pruning Process

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:1, 2

As we look into the pruning process I must share my wife's pruning ability. When I first saw the pruning work of my wife, Joyce, I thought she killed the plant or at least stunted its growth forever.  Boy, was I wrong! It grew back and looked great!  Now, if my wife does a heavy duty pruning I trust her, as I have seen that her pruning is helping the plant.  Also, after my wife first prunes a plant it is rather ugly, but given time it turns beautiful. 

Most of you know that trees need pruning in order to grow properly and bear fruit. Pruning involves cutting off the dead branches and cutting back the living branches, both to shape the tree or vine and to stimulate growth.  So much more with our heavenly Father, as He is the perfect pruner, when He prunes us we know that He knows what He's doing and the end result is you will be more beautiful in God's vineyard. According to this verse, pruning sounds to me like a painful process! However, as painful as it can be to go through this “process,” it is necessary and worthwhile. Think about it, the branch that bears NO FRUIT is history, but it is the fruit bearing branch that he PRUNES so that it will bear MORE FRUIT.  As Christians you are pruned NOT because you have no fruit, but so you'll have even more.

Here’s why:
1. God's pruning is to get rid of stuff in our life that is not healthy.
Often we allow sin (always wrong and bad) or even weights (not necessarily bad/sin, but not beneficial, something that holds us back) into our lives, and it hinders us from bearing fruit or much fruit. 
Heb. 12:11 states: " For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."
Heb. 12:1 states: "...let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..."

2. God’s pruning redirects our spiritual growth.
Each branch that is cut stops the plant's growth in one direction and redirects it in another. Sometimes God shuts a door in one area because He wants to refocus our efforts, energy and gifting in another – often one where He knows we’ll be more effective. If we exist to bring God glory and build His kingdom, it’s not so much about where I want to go and what I want to do, but where He can use me the most.

3. God’s pruning improves the quantity and quality of fruit in our lives.
Pruning at the right time and in the right place can actually increase the number of shoots produced by a plant, thus, increasing its yield. A temporary decrease in an area of your life will actually bring the increase! Don’t give up on the vision God has given you, but press on. Your breakthrough could be right around the next corner.

Jesus desires for us to bear fruit for him, we start with fruit, then MORE fruit and then MUCH fruit.  
I like what I have heard stated that we find ourselves in one of three states right now.

Either we are:
1. Being pruned
2. Healing/recovering after being pruned or
3. We are in full bloom. (But don’t get too excited if you are in full bloom, because you are about to be pruned again.)

If you are a Christian, you are going to be pruned. Count on it. None of us are immune to it. You may not be in the pruning process right now…you may be in full bloom, enjoying a relatively easy life. Praise God! Enjoy it! But don’t get too comfortable…the scissors are going to come your way again!

*Note: Some of the content of this devotion came from:  http://www.heatherboersma.com/the-process-of-pruning/

God Given Resolutions as you enter the New Year!

“God Given Resolutions”
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God" - Romans 8:14

Many people make a New Year's Resolution to loss weight, exercise more, read the Bible more, pray more, etc.  Although these are good, when next year rolls around you know what, people will once again be making resolutions to loss weight, exercise more, read the Bible more, pray more, etc.  A lot of people will be making the same resolutions they did last year this year (and likely next year). Why? Because they didn’t keep it. 

Thus, comes the question of why didn’t they keep it?

I think the answer can be found primarily in three areas. 
We either are (1) not taking our resolution seriously, (2) are having a problem with a lack of discipline, (3) it may be that your resolution wasn’t a God given resolution - one led by the Spirit.

Though I’m not against New Year resolutions, I do believe God would prefer us to live in a “God Given Resolution.” By that I mean that we should resolve to live our best for God everyday. Don’t wait for the new year (Jan. 1st) to make changes, make them as soon as God speaks to your heart! As matter of fact, some of you may need to let go of YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION and pick up on GOD'S RESOLUTION for you, it might be quite different than YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION.

Also, as the year goes on, constantly be letting God work new changes in you, then when next January 1 rolls around, you will either have no new resolutions to make or you’ll have one that just happens to fall on January 1.

Good bye New Year's Resolutions, hello to God's Resolutions!

Following God's Complete Instruction Book

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." - II Timothy 3:16

"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. " - Acts 17:11

"Study (be diligent) to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - II Tim. 2:15

In the church, today, I find one word that is almost shunned - the word is "doctrine". What is doctrine (in the Greek word is "didache")? Bible doctrine is simply teaching/instruction; it is that which is taught in the Bible.

I have been in churches where people did not want to learn Bible doctrine. After all, they say, "doctrine is boring". My question is, what do you want to learn? After all, Bible doctrine is to be taught/instructed from the Bible.

We're more concerned with hearing an "emotionally stirring" sermon or Sunday School lesson than we are to hear Bible doctrine! Guess what, if you're NOT learning Bible doctrine in EVERY sermon, then you are in trouble of getting into error. It grieves the heart of God that we will not invest the time in His Word to study it and see who God truly is, and what we are to believe. I try to make sure I am believing God's Word and not man's word.

Let me relate a story of something that happened to me a few years back. I had been using a computer for quite some time. Then, I felt a need to add to my software skills. So I picked up a book from the library on this new software. Then, after going through it, I went and got tested on THREE Microsoft software programs (and I studied some on all three), two I had used for approximately 7 or more years, the other one LESS than two weeks. Guess which one I scored the highest on? The one I only knew for two weeks! You may say WHY? Here's the answer, plain and simple. The two programs that I knew for years, I had only been using the applications I thought I needed for the task at hand. But when I wanted to learn the new program, I went and got a book from the library and studied ALL aspects of the software, then I tried to apply ALL the applications. This brought to light an all-too-true, but sad spiritual scenario. Many of us have been doing the same spiritual applications over and over for years, BUT we have never sought to learn the whole counsel of God (all of His Word). We have picked and chosen what we wanted to apply of God's Word. Big mistake!!! You have hindered your full(er) knowledge of God's Word! This is where doctrine comes in! We need to study ALL aspects of God's Word, NOT just the "feel good" subjects.

Understanding all the fundamental doctrines in the Bible are so essential! You will only grow so much (and no further) if you pick and chose what you want to learn and apply. Today, go out and get a good book that covers the fundamentals of the Bible (personally I think a great book for every library and worth the long read is "Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine" (over 1250 pages) by Wayne Grudem's or his small book "Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know" (only 160 pages and low priced).  Whatever you read be sure it has a lot of scripture and make sure you look them ALL up in your Bible (and in context) to ensure it's the truth (Bible) and not man's words.

Also, launch out into your own personal study on some of those subjects such as: Infallibility of the Bible; the Virgin Birth; who is Jesus Christ; the death, burial and resurrection of Christ; who is the Holy Spirit; who is the Father; end times/last days (Eschatology); salvation; sin, etc.

As we study the Bible we can take simple steps to keep us in a Biblical view of the Bible.  These simple steps to take to keep help you in "rightly dividing the Word of God (Bible).

Step One: Observation  (I.E., Ask questions of the biblical text. Look for things that are emphasized, repeated, related, alike, and true to life.”

Step Two: Interpretation (I.E., Read in context (don't just pull a verse out of it's setting) and also compare words, themes, phrases and styles of the text with other biblical texts.

Step Three: Application (I.E., What does the text Relate to you. Meditate (think about it) and Practice it.   For more information read "Living By the Book" by Howard Hendricks

And may I add here please, please, please ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to Biblical truths as you read and study the Bible.

Today, start afresh studying God's COMPLETE instruction book!




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Book Review of "The American Church – A Baby Church"

In the forward of this book, Steven Ritland put it so well when he said, "Some assertions may be a little extreme, but please don’t let that lead you to reject the book’s overall message, which I believe is that Christ’s body needs a transformation; it needs to return to the Word of God and obey what God commands." So, I encourage you don't put this book down before hearing the author's heart of this vital subject, "The American Church - A Baby Church." While you may not agree with all that he says, I believe there are enough nuggets of truth that makes this book worth its reading. It is a relatively small book at 134 pages so it should be an easy and quick read. So there's not much of a risk of your time, and there are surely at least a few nuggets in there for YOU! I gave it 3 stars but I really hope you will read it, as there are some 5 star nuggets among these pages. The book title alone might offend some for calling the American church a "baby church," but I have to say we are a baby church in many of the ways he discusses in this book. He brings out a point that shows our infancy/baby traits (immaturity spiritually) one trait per chapter.

Starting with chapter 1 he deals with our over dependence on others, be it our church groups, ministers, etc. While we do receive from each other, we do need to stand up and stop weighing down others. All babies are to grow in maturity. In Chapter 2, he discusses our self-centeredness as babies! Babies are occupied with themselves. They have a “me” problem. Solution: As you grow up, you will become less and less self-centered and more and more other-centered. He then goes on to discuss 8 other areas of immaturity in the American Church (thus covering a total of 10 areas) of "baby traits." Like I said, you may not agree with all he says, I didn't, but by the time I flipped the last page of this book, I could honestly say it was worth my time and I received some good from reading it. We certainly do have a problem we all need to face...the American Church is an immature baby church. What are you going to do about it? Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review blogger's program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Jesus - You're Too Late!

   Let this devotion minister to and encourage you. 

Please read John 11:1-45 to best understand this devotion.

Martha said - “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” John 11:21

Mary said - “Lord, if thou hadst been here my brother had not died.” John 11:32

Have you ever felt that way, Jesus you're too late - I know I have (more than once)!

Here’s the situation - Mary and Martha called on Jesus to come pray (heal) their sick brother Lazarus and Jesus says, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” Then Jesus delays his coming to Lazarus, and when He gets there, Lazarus has been dead 4 days! This is what you call a HOPELESS situation. These were 3 people that Jesus LOVED, yet He let this happen (See John 11:5)! They believed Jesus could have healed their brother Lazarus, but RAISE him from the dead (4 days dead), now that’s another story. When He asked that the grave be opened, Martha said, “.....Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days” - John 11:39. But being the awesome Jesus He is, He raised up Lazarus from the dead AND HEALED HIM. What a sight that must have been!

There is so much in this passage we could do deep studies on and it would take quite a few messages to do so, but today's study is primarily to encourage you to understand, that we have had things in our life die that were a Lazarus to us (these were good things - Jesus loved Lazarus). It might or might not be a person (relationship), it could be a ministry, a business, etc. We had asked Jesus to touch (heal) that relationship, ministry, business, etc., and He said it would be fine, and then the next thing you know the doors are closing and that relationship, ministry or business is over (DEAD and BURIED so to speak). You're saying as Martha and Mary, if you had been here you could have saved this relationship, ministry or business (whatever your Lazarus might be). Why did you let it DIE?! And Jesus says, “Thy brother (relationship, ministry, business, etc.) shall rise again," and like Martha (v.24-27) we try to reinterpret what Jesus is saying. And then when told by Jesus that it’s time to remove the stone from Lazarus' grave, Martha said, "Lord, HE STINKS" (he’s too far gone, don’t bother with him). Is your Lazarus too far gone even for JESUS to raise from the dead!!! Nothing and no one is ever too far gone IF JESUS WANTS THEM RAISED.  Do you have something that you felt Jesus loved, but now is too far gone?  Just know JESUS can raise even the DEAD!

Mother, do you have a son who loved Jesus and Jesus loved him, but now it seems he STINKS spiritually, or a ministry that Jesus' loving hand was on and now it’s gone (or dead), or a business that went under (and you knew Jesus was in this business). This devotion is not to say that ALL will be raised; but if it’s a “Lazarus” to whom Jesus has spoken to you, “Thy brother (relationship, ministry or business) shall rise again,” then don’t try to figure it out, don’t say it’s too late (IT STINKS). Jesus said, “Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth .....” And you know when Jesus raised him He also obviously healed him, so whatever killed Lazarus in the first place was GONE! So with you whatever killed your relationship, ministry or business in the first place will be gone when Jesus raises it up from the dead.

Jesus let Lazarus die, so He let something die in your life. Why? So HE could raise Lazarus (it) up for the Glory of God and to Glorify Jesus. Let me tell you, this will get peoples attention! All may have thought that your family member, ministry, business, etc., were history (DEAD), BUT God has said of your Lazarus, "I WILL RAISE IT UP!"

Brother/Sister in Christ has God has spoken to you about something, and told you it’s dead, but I will raise it up then obey JESUS when He tells you to Roll back the stone and get READY as Jesus is going to do some raising up!

Mother, don’t lose heart if God has spoken to you about Raising up a spiritually dead son.

Wife, don’t lose heart if God has spoken to you about Raising up a spiritually dead husband.

Minister, don’t lose heart if God has spoken to you about Raising up a dead ministry.

Businessman, don’t lose heart if God has spoken to you about Raising up a bankrupt or closed business.

Don’t lose heart if God has spoken to you about Raising up something or someone.

Remember fellow Christian you obey JESUS by removing the stone, but JESUS is the only one that RAISES FROM THE DEAD!

Remember these closing 5 words:  JESUS  IS  NEVER  TOO  LATE!!!

Moral Decline in our Society - Isaiah 5:20

 

What has happened to our society (and the world)?  The change in our society away from Biblical guidelines has led to a sick world, and even a sick church (as the church adopts worldly thinking). We are in MORAL DECLINE!

 

What was just a few year ago considered unacceptable is now paraded as a badge of honor (especially homosexuality).  But all immorality is sin, not just homosexuality (though the Bible does call it an abomination). We're not only not ashamed of homosexuality, but we are promoting it. Today, if you call homosexuality a sin it is considered a hate crime.  That is totally ridiculous from a Christian/Biblical viewpoint.  God doesn't tell you to hate people in sin!  I see homosexuality as a moral sin, but I do not hate the people who are involved in this sin (or any other).  I minister to many in this and other sins, and I sincerely care about them!!! Do you?  You should! 

So with all this acceptance and discussion on homosexuality, it seems many have forgotten that even in the year 2013 that other moral sins still need to be dealt with. I am referring to fornication (sex outside of marriage) and adultery (sex with someone other than your spouse), which are still sins that are NOT okay. 

Some may venture to say adultery is a sin, but rarely do you hear many calling fornication sin.  Even among "church folk" it often isn't discussed as so many "church attendees" (Note: Church Attendee is not synonymous with Christian) are sleeping with each other BEFORE marriage.  It has become no big deal.  We have been saturated with IMMORALITY by all forms of media (TV being at the top).

We are to the point that we don't even flinch at immorality any more.  Truly, this has become a society of calling evil (immorality in our discussion) good and good (morality in our discussion) bad.   

It's time to get in God's Word (Bible) and pray and ask the Lord to help us not to become so desensitized to sin.   

It's surely a spiritual battle so get your spiritual armor (Eph. 6:11-18) on and let's get back to the Bible.  It is a NOW word, it is not outdated, it is for you and me to guide us into all truth.

Closing WORD:
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.    Colossians 2:8

NOTE: For you who are battling with ANY addictions or counsel others with addictions, this is a must have book: "Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave" by Ed Welch (You can find it on www.ChristianBook.com  and many other bookstores).