whats the deal with reading the bible anyway?

I am rereading the bible using the Bible In 90 Days program with my group. It seems each time I read the bible I see things that I never noticed before. It must have always been there as I don't think my copy has changed over the years, but for some reason it seems different. Perhaps its because I am at a different point in my life and I see things differently than I once did.
Part of this program is just so a person who calls themselves a christian can say they actually read the source book of our faith. It is amazing to me how many have not read it. They have read novels by Louis Lamoure and John Grisham and others or perhaps romance books or whatever. Perhaps they have read a ton of books about religion or christianity or theology by authors like Donald Miller or CS Lewis or Anne Lamont or Max Lucado.
And it seems to be sort of the norm for christians NOT to have read the bible. Most do not see that it is a big deal that they haven't read it for themselves. They grew up going to church so they know something about how that works. They have heard probably hundreds of sermons on certain bible teachings or parables or stories from the bible. We (christian folks) tend to utilize it like a reference guide in times of trouble, going to whatever section at whatever time to study a certain thing and having an "aha" moment then we close it back up and put it away. This approach is much like being sick and going to the pharmacy to hang out hoping that you'll get better without taking any medication.
Maybe you can sleep on it like we tried in college and absorb the contents through osmosis.
The bible for me is not a magical book. I don't have better luck when I have it on my car's dashboard. It is not a good luck charm. I do not take every word of it literally. Much of it I believe may be jewish folklore best they could tell and hand down verbally. Much of it is written through the lens of the author of each book with their own understandings at that time and space. I do not believe it fell out of the sky in the King's English with red lettering. It may be inspired by God, but man had his hand in it. It is, however, the closest thing we have to understanding God. And that understanding is very limited I believe.
I can tell you however, that after I first read the whole thing, that experience sent me on a different path or journey. I had a new perspective on things. I had a larger picture of God and the God Experience. I had answers I didn't have before, read things I had never heard in a sermon, and had questions that couldn't be answered even by the greatest of theologians.
It has increased my faith in God.
I encourage you to read it for yourself. See what you've been missing out on by only hearing those pastel painted sermons that portray biblical events as kid stories. It may just rock your world.

my little part in the kingdom

My last post was about losing my Faith and kind of finding it once more. The process of becoming aware again, or at least slowing down long enough to listen. Its a hard thing to do in this world, to not get caught up in the day to day stuff life is made of, and find some time to listen.
I think that God is speaking all the time. Maybe not in words alone, but through other people, experiences, media, articles, prayer, meditation, etc., and it is up to us to tune in and catch it. Much like radio waves that are all around us, we fail to connect to the right frequency, fail to position the antennae in the proper position for receiving a good signal. Whatever.
Sure it would be nice if He would just say "Hey, get a stone tablet and jot this down" as he did with the prophets of old, but he doesn't. I have no idea why.
So this week I "tune-in" two different messages. Both are messages of affirmation of many things. Those things being that I am doing what I'm supposed to be doing. That I am being used despite who I am. That the things I do really make a difference, somehow. That I don't have to "hear" God speaking to know that He is at work in my life and others.
A person I met a couple of years ago has been wanting to come to the class I teach. I say "come on" all the time but she hasn't. Wasn't God's time yet for her. She was raised Catholic and always had issues with that faith system for her, so when I began "The Bible in 90 Days" she showed up. Wanted to read the Bible for herself. Tuning in. Told me this past week that her atheist son-in-law allowed her to bring the 4 year old granddaughter with her and she went to the 4 yr old sunday school class. Two for the price of one.
Today I get a message from someone I met during my graduate studies at the university. She told me that, well here's the message:

From friend "...you know you are the one who brought me back to religion years ago. When I was doubting and angry. That was you :) wanted you to know that."
My response: "I did not know that. Thanks for letting me know. I suspect it was God who was seeking you out, and He has a habit of using others to do that. Glad he picked me for that assignment."

Since i have been wondering recently about my faith and my status as prophet or whatever part I get to play in the kingdom, God drops me these little affirmations that, like the ill-suited prophets of old, I am still being used. Maybe not on a grand scale where i can get public accolades, but where it matters. With real people. Where the rubber meets the road.

Not bad

losing my faith...

Somewhere along the way I lost my faith. I'm not sure how it happened but it did. It was gradual like water seeping into the ground after a heavy rain, there one minute and then gone without fanfare. I came to this realization over the past couple of weeks.
This is why:
I am now rereading the entire bible. yes. Fun stuff. (Sarcasm)
The last time I did was in 1996.
I started "The Bible in 90 Days" program in the adult christian education class I teach. However, I am not teaching this...just facilitating a preplanned curriculum.
The Old Testament is somewhat tedious with measurements and dimensions and numbers, and it's God a bit bizarre with sacrifices and blood on people's ear lobes and burnt animal smells being a pleasing aroma. Okay that last part I can somewhat identify since I am a huge BBQ fan.
but I digress.
In the past two weeks I have read the first four books of the Old Testament and have decided I would make a terrible Israelite. I probably would have been one of those whining ones that got consumed in the Lord's angry fire or whatever.
And this God of the Old Testament somehow doesn't quite "fit" with the God I know as presented in the New Testament or the God I have had so many interactions with over the course of my lifetime.
So I am having issues reconciling those two Gods in my head.
Just before beginning the reread of The Bible, I read a book entitled "God's Problem", written by a former evangelical pastor who went to an extremely fundamental seminary. The author is also a phd/scholar in Old Testament and still teaches at a well known university in the Carolinas. His main issue with the God of the Bible is on the matter of suffering, and the guy makes pretty good arguments, well thought out about God allowing suffering and the many feeble attempts Christianity has made over the centuries trying to explain it.
And I reflect upon my own personal life and the here and now struggles I am dealing with: a relationship that is somewhat less than what I desire it to be; financial issues that are ever prevalent; a daughter who is about to graduate from high school and wanting to go to a college and trying to find away to pay for it; a stressful job. You get the picture. Heck, you are probably saying "me too!".
And no matter now much effort I put into it, how much planning I do, how much harder I work... nothing changes. I cannot control it.
read that... I CAN NOT C O N T R O L IT!
damnit.
Like the warmth of spring when it works its magic after winter has left its mark on the earth, I began to see that I had lost my faith. I had left that out. I have not trusted that God has this nor have I asked him too. I have been relying on ME. Like I could handle this. Very Manly.
Control issues. Distracted by a world that will consume you anyway it can, from your inside out, soul and all. Not one reliance on God.
Faith.
The author who could not reconcile the God of the bible with suffering in the world lost his faith. became agnostic.
The Israelites of the bible continually did not have faith in God of the old testament even though he worked miracles in their presence and provided their every need.
The nonprofitprophet continued to trust in himself to solve all of his own problems and shoulder the weight of an often demanding and uncaring world and in the process, lost his faith in a God who has shown himself over and over again to provide. It didn't take much.
and now i know this...in the process of losing my faith, i have regained it. I will be more mindful that there are many things that we simply will never be able to reconcile, to control, or understand. I'm not sure we were ever supposed to.
That great void that we are unable to define, control, comprehend, or come to terms with....? there, therein lies Faith. Faith That God will do as he will do and Is Who He Says He Is... Simply "I Am". and I am not.

Tick Tock

Time is passing. It is picking up speed like a locomotive on a gradual decline whose tracks extend over the years and what I am passing is blurry at best. I can feel it much more so than ever before. I can tell that my whole person is slowing both in energy and in physical ways.

Its weird.

As a young person you never really expect it to actually happen to you. I mean intellectually, as a matter of fact, you know it should happen, but the reality that it really will happen is somewhat aloof. You assume grown ups are grown ups and elderly are elderly and, well, you are youthful. You assume things will always be this way. Now the elderly of my youth have passed away, the grown ups are elderly and I am a grown up.

It happened gradually I know, but it seems to have snuck up on me without my awareness or my consent. It happened. I'm not all that thrilled by it. People treat me like I am an adult. I have to conduct myself as one. I have the responsibilities of an adult. It is all very bizarre.

I passed by a school with a playground full of children and some of my companions noted how the children were playing. Yes, playing. We wondered what that feels like. To play. We recognized in that moment that we no longer played. It is a concept lost to the adults and remains in the realm of childhood. I suppose as it should. Still I am envious.

I am learning to relate to people now in this role of grown up. I have people who work with me that wasn't even alive when I graduated from high school. It is surreal. I have memories and experiences that occurred prior to their existence and it dawns on me that those older than I do as well. It is hard for me to wrap my head around the concept that things existed and happened and life went on before I was a part of it.

It somewhat saddens me to think that it will continue to do so once I have departed but in another way it doesn't. Wouldn't it be interesting to see how this all turns out? We will never know.

Tick Tock

Brian McLaren's A NEW KIND OF CHRISTIANITY

I have been reading Brian McLaren's new book "A New Kind of Christianity". Disclaimer is that this is the first of his books that I have read. And its a good one. This is one of those books that gives you some insight into "things" about christianity that you probably have never heard if you grew up in the "official traditional" church. Of course, that is part of the post modern movement isn't it, too question and rethink what "church" is?
So he does so in many ways. Sometimes Brian gets a little too much into the detail of a certain thing in his attempt to explain a complex subject to simple reader like myself, but thats okay. This is a book that takes some time to read, think about what the author said, then move on into the next part. Brian is shaping an arguement or painting a picture of maybe how we should view the bible/christianity in light of new information.
I could see this book being used in seminary to stimulate conversation (where it wouldn't be considered heresy) and maybe shape and rethink some old opinions. I am definitely going to take some of the key thoughts of the book and break them up and teach over them myself. Its a book I am dog-earing if that helps you any.
Now, if you aren't familiar with Brian McLaren or the post modern emergent movement thing, then be a little open minded when reading. Especially if you are like myself and are more conservative regarding most social issues, because the main participants of this movement tend to be of the socio-liberal variety. However, I agree with their take on christianity, but not necessarily their perception of social/political issues.
Read the book. I recommend it!

Separation of Church and State?

I awoke this morning early with these thoughts running through my mind. This is a few hours later and I feel like putting them into words. I feel that God put them there, so I am just writing them down.

I have been struggling for a really long time with my thoughts on "if America is really a Christian Nation". I have mixed feelings about this and am pretty sure I don't have it figured out exactly. I am torn between scriptures that talk about a people or nations who turn to God and God blesses that nation, versus knowing that we are all children of God and God loves us all on an individual basis, regardless of what country we live in. I am torn because I believe that both are true. I think that God can bless "peoples" or "nations" who operate more in line with how he would have us treat one another universally, and I think that he God can withhold universal blessings upon a nation or peoples, but bless an individual within that group. But this isn't my main thought ...

I think we are at a point in American History when we have to determine whether or not we are a secular nation (which is what is seemingly happening) or are we a christian nation (a nation that basis its morals, laws and customs upon Christianity). I'm not sure that originally we were intended to be a "Christian" nation. Most of the references that I have seen to early founders of this country, the United States, have lots of references to God, A Supreme Being, or the Creator. It appears the founders were for the most part deists - or believers in God. I haven't come across alot of information detailing references to Jesus Christ. So I draw the conclusion that God (and His guidance and blessings) were a central part of the founding fathers thought processes, hence a Godly nation, but not a Christian nation so too speak. I cannot find where God was left out of the equation in the formation and fundamentals of this country.

So onto Separation of Church and State. This phrase gets tossed out everytime there is an issue where God or Christianity or someone's personal beliefs gets attention in the public arena. It, the phrase "Separation of Church and State" has taken on a whole new meaning, and a life of its own, in our modern culture. It appears that the definers of words and phrases have won the debate, as it is no longer used in its historical context. To set the matter straight - I have no issue with the concept of Separation of Church and State. And its not in the constitution by the way. I don't think "the Church" should set policy for "the State". If you know your history about England and the Church of England and the founding fathers, you understand the relevance of my statement. The Official Organized Church had too much power in the Government/Monarchy and they governed badly and denied people the option to worship as they wished. Meaning, you had to be a member of their Organized Church. And this was enforced by the State. So the separation clause ensured this would not happen again... so we could be Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, whatever.

but...

Separation of Church and State now means that God is totally removed from the public sector. No more prayers at football games, bibles at school, 10 commandments on public courthouse lawns, no more crosses displayed on public lands. Now I try not to to be cynical and am fairly reasonable, but who cares if if there is a cross commemorating the dead on a battlefied. I would not care if muslim monuments or jewish stars of david were erected either. And both of these, by the way, believe in a supreme being, God, as well. I fear, that the very thing the founding fathers were trying to prevent, is happening anyway, only in reverse. That the State, not the Church, is interjecting itself into our spiritual beliefs. Public or private prayer is a manisfestation of ones faith. No one is forcing anyone else to pray. If I am in Tehran, and a muslim prayer is offered, and I am not forced to participate, I do not care. I understand its a Muslim country, meaning that a majority of its inhabitants are Islamic and that is there foundation and custom.

So my question is "are we a Christian Nation". I think probably not. Are we a nation that believes in God? Yes. Have been since the beginning. We even have prayers to God in the Senate. Prayers and religious leaders at Presidential swearing in ceremonies. Is the Church telling the State what to do? I don't see that it is. Is the State telling the Church what to do? Well, its getting dangerously close. A majority of Americans call themselves Christian. Thats great. Some are buddhist and some are muslim and some are agnostic and some are aetheist. The State isn't telling you you have to attend the Official Church of America (Southern Baptist I think - thats a joke). So we have separation of church and state. I'm glad we have it. I don't want a particular chuch or the state telling me when, where and how to worship.

I also don't want the same State telling me I can't, when,where and how. I would like to see our National Heritage stay in place, with our recognition that the nation was founded in a belief in God. That the founders were Deists, and that recognition of a sovereign and almighty creator in the public sector is fine. I also think its okay if someone displays the 10 commandments or prays to God in the public sector. Its not a "Christian" thing, the 10 commandments came from God. The founders and the Congress each pray to God during sessions. The church isn't saying you have to do this - hence it is a separate thing. And its rightly separate. We do this because its an expression of our faith. Our belief systems. Our traditions in the recognition of a higher authority. By displaying the 10 commandments in a courtroom, the State is just affirming the heritage passed down from the inception of this country. And just what part of the 10 commandments are Christian? None.

Our expression of faith is not to separated from our daily lives, whether christian, muslim, jewish, whatever. The phrase is "Separation of Church and State", not "Separation of God and State". I think the issue needs more exploration before we declare ourselves secular with no reference to God at all. I feel there may be some credence to the relationship between Nation's behaviors and God's Blessings. Haven't gotten that all sorted through in my mind yet, but thats the Word. ~npp

Review of "A Prayer To Our Father"

I have gotten involved with TheOOZE (www.theooze.com) in something they call Viral Bloggers. Sounds contagious doesn't it. In a respect I guess it could be. They offer the latest in spiritually themed books if you are an existing blogger, and if you will read it and provide a review on the book. They have to check out your blog first to see if its a good fit, then you get approved and choose a book.

So this is my first run at it. I chose "A Prayer To Our Father...Hebrew Origins of The Lord's Prayer" by Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson. The title peaked my interested, as well as the background of the authors. Nehemia is in Jerusalem and is Jewish and holds so many credentials in this arena that its too much to list here. Keith is African American, has a Master's of Divinity and is an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. But my interest was that he served as Chaplain of the Minnesota Vikings.

The book starts out with the first 82 pages basically talking about the authors getting to know each other and discussing possibly where the certain important events took place geographically. They would travel to this or that location and Jerusalem and measure it against recorded scripture. Though it had some interesting information, I found this section of the book really dry or bland. I wanted to get to the meat of the subject and was not so impressed with the fact finding tour.

It took until page 83 (roughly midway through the book) for the authors to finally get to the actual Lord's Prayer, or Avinu Prayer as they called it. They broke each line down in separate chapters, and this aspect was actually interesting as it finally addressed the subject of the book. Taking the version that we Christians/Protestants have learned and repeated forever, and comparing it to the Hebrew version of Matthew, they pointed out several words, phrases, etc. that actually put the prayer into a different perspective. Using the cultural events of the day, the historical references and play on words in the prayer, this brought a better understanding of what and why we are saying what we are saying. I found this part worthy of reading. I even taught my christian education class using the section on Daily Bread.

I would recommend this book if you like to read more factual based works. I compared it to reading history or archaeology. If you don't like reading those type topics, you may not like reading this. But the information is good. It is presented rather dry, and there really are no punch lines. I think the information could have been boiled down to cliff note style, meaning the book was about twice as big as needed be.