Samson's Jawbone

Recently I had a friend call me for counsel about a problem at their work. A few days later they called me to tell me that God had told them how to handle the matter, which was different from my biblically based counsel. I said to them, "Oh really, tell me about that." The person then described a restless night full of dreams, through which they said that God had redirected them. This is an experience all too common in pastoral counseling. People believe that God directs them through an encounter  rather than through conforming their lives to God's Word. How do we hear the voice of God? Does God speak to us today? The scripture is clear that God directs and often redirects our experience:           [3] He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness. for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3ESV) [9] The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9ESV) [7] “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, a...

Several Years ago, the speaker at a conference I attended related his experience with someone who believed in private revelations.   While he was travelling to speak at yet a different conference, his wife received a call from the Vice President of one of North America's prominent Christian University's, he related the conversation like this: When his wife, Betty [a pseudonym], answered the phone, the caller identified himself as Dr. Mort [my pseudonym] of the university, and asked to speak to her husband whom we will call Dr Johns [also my pseudonym]: "Hello, this is Dr. Mort," of the prominent Christian university "is Dr. Johns available." "No," said Betty, "he's out of town on a speaking engagement. [This was before the cell phone era.] I can relay a message to him and have him call you." "Oh, that would be great! ...Would you let him know that I, and a group of our faculty, have been fasting and praying for a month, in our la...

Many years ago, I visited my primary care physician about a medical problem. He examined me thoroughly, ran a battery of test and referred me to a specialist. After yet another thorough examination and a review of the data from my primary doctor, the specialist diagnosed my problem saying, "After 30 years of practicing medicine in this state and reviewing the test data I am 99% certain based on my experience that you have ..., but I want to run more tests to be sure." How is that an accomplished physician who had been an expert in his field for over 30 years and who knew how to interpret the data needed to confirm his own educated opinion and vast experience? Perhaps My doctor understood that the best most qualified practitioner can be 99% certain about what their experiences and be 100% wrong. It is possible to be sincerely wrong about your impressions and what you think is "the voice of God." Our experience with God is not revelation, it is not his voice to us, as...

Samson's Jawbone: Jesus Declares War: Operation Sabbath Freedom -- M... : By David L. Miner Mark, in his Gospel, ties an event with some interesting teaching that, on its face, seems unrelated to the even...

By David L. Miner Mark, in his Gospel, ties an event with some interesting teaching that, on its face, seems unrelated to the event. In truth, I believe this passage is a subtle but powerful declaration of war on the Pharisees and especially on the established religious belief system enforced by the Pharisees. I believe Jesus, in this passage, subtly announced that he was here to more than just upset the apple cart! In chapter one of Mark's Gospel, Jesus is recorded as teaching and healing at several times. Casting out evil spirits falls under both teaching and healing, as Jesus indicated, and he does some of both. The result of all this is that by the end of the first chapter, Jesus is thronged by crowds every time he comes into town, and in chapter two, even while he is still out of town. In chapter two, Jesus is confronted by a man with "the palsy," which was almost certainly some form of paralysis. Four friends brought the man bef...

Many in the media were perplexed recently by President Obama's absence from the march in Paris in opposition to the attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine. They have raised questions about the administration's reluctance to label jihadists as terrorist or to identify them as "Islamic extremists." Why is anyone surprised? This administration will never recognize the Islamic connection to terrorism, because the existence of religious terrorism belies multiculturalism. Multiculturalism represents an attitude about proper responses to religious, ethnic, political, linguistic and social diversity among populations. Multiculturalism   embraces differences and makes personal, social and legal accommodations for differences even when those differences are destructive to existing culture. It sees culture as pluralistic and forgoes any efforts at expecting one group to assimilate into a larger culture. It is contrary to the traditional American view of epluribus unum, or the idea of ...