There is a PIRATE running for Congress in Iowa.

Laugh if you will then ask yourself if you could do it.

All joking aside, this is crazy and creepy all wrapped into one! Dr. Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda calls himself The Man Jesus Christ. That’s right. He is announcing that he is Jesus in the second coming.

Here is the video complete with dramatic music and blasphemous statements. Push back from your screen while viewing to avoid lightening strikes.

Dr. Nutjob Dr. Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda will be coming to the States on September 23-24. He will be in Miami as prophesied in the Book of Hezekiah 12:24.

Web Link
via

I Don’t Want to be Right!!!

How cool is this? By cool, I mean awesomely geeky.

Via

This Sunday I preached on Exodus 20:15:”You Shall Not Steal.” These are my notes on the 8th Commandment. Enjoy!

Faith In God’s Provision
Near the end of my junior year in high school, my church youth group got together with a handful of other youth ministries in the Dallas area and we all took a trip down to Disney World together. It was, without a doubt, one of the greatest trips I have ever taken. I loved hanging out with my friends and making brand new ones. Every night we had a devotional together at different places around the park. One night they closed the theatre and we met in the Hall of Presidents for our evening worship time. It was great!

On our last night there, my youth minister took the juniors and seniors out to dinner at Planet Hollywood to discuss our leadership and his expectations for us. It was a great night and we had some much fun together. We were laughing and carrying all the way back to the hotel. All of that changed the second we stepped off the bus.One of the other youth ministers was waiting for Brad, my youth minister.

Now, this other minister was just a bear of a man. He had a huge barrel chest and a deep voice that sounded like a snorting bull. Rumor had it that this minister had permission to spank the kids in his youth group. Scary!!! We’ll call this guy John.
John immediately jumps in Brad’s face and says, “Well, what are you going to do about it? I’ve taken care of my kids. What are you going to do with yours?”

We are completely taken aback. Brad has no idea what he’s talking about and yet John continues asking him what he plans to do about his students. I do not want to get spanked so I am riveted by what is going on here. John finally explains the situation and the color leaves Brad’s face.

Two freshman boys from John’s church and one from our church were caught shoplifting from the Parks. They had been spending the entire week stealing pencils, pins, snow globes, note pads, you name it. They were caught when one of the boys stole a stuffed animal and gave it to a girl. She found out how they got it and turned them into one of the adults. John ends by telling Brad that he has already told his boys to pack for home and wants to know what Brad is going to do.

Brad decides that he needs to talk to the kid from our group and asks John to come along. Brad says, “Well, I guess we need to play good cop/bad cop.” John immediate response is, “I’ll play the BAD COP!”
Brad calls the kid down to his room as John rearranges the furniture so that a lone chair sits beneath the lamp interrogation style.

The kid from our church was named Jason and was one of those quiet kids. He shuffled down to Brad’s room and took his seat under the lamp. Brad tried to make a little small talk with him by asking him about he his week had gone.

“Well,” Jason said, “I enjoyed MGM more than the Magic Kin…”

John yells, “Cut the crap kid! Tell us why you were stealing!!!”

Oh my! Lt. Sipowitz was gentler bad cop.

Meanwhile, my friends and I have retired back to our hotel room in complete disbelief at what had happened. Everybody is talking about it and everyone is anxious to know what is going on. Then we get a bright idea.

Let’s prank call Brad as someone from Disney wanting to take care of the situation. I volunteer for the job and I dial the front desk. I told the operator that I wanted to leave a voice message but I didn’t want the phone to ring. They said no problem.

After the beep I left this message:
(In my best Mickey Mouse voice)“Uh, ha ha. Hey Brad, this is Mickey. I hope you had a great week at he park but I heard that a few of your kids were caught stealing… (completely enraged Mickey Mouse) I DON’T LIKE IT! YOU BETTER BELIEVE THAT I’M GONNA COME DOWN THERE WITH MY DOG PLUTO AND WE’RE GONNA TEAR THEM APART!! ARRRGGHH!”

Now, we thought that it was hilarious! We were, in our minds, comedic geniuses. Needless to say, Brad’s wife, who got the message first, did not think that it was funny. After Brad had finished “interrogating the witness” and informing him and his parents that he would be going home, he came directly to our room. He knew exactly who had made the call!

The next morning the kids were on a plane home and Brad took about 4 bags full of stole merchandise back to Disney. He explained what had happened and the Disney officials wanted to arrest those kids right then and there. They were a little miffed that they had been sent home. It was a huge deal.

When faced with this problem of stealing everyone involved approached the situation completely different.

The boys saw something they wanted and just took it.
Jason and Disney wanted to swing the hammer down.
Brad wanted to work though the situation.
I wanted to make light of the situation.
Others there that week completely distanced themselves from those guys.
Everyone chose a different course of action when dealing with this problem.

I have no doubt that each and everyone of us has had to deal head with the problem of theft or cheating in some form or another. Maybe your child has walked out of the store with some candy or a small toy. Maybe you were that child at one point in your life. Maybe your brother or sister shoplifted and received punishment for it. Maybe your wallet was stolen, your home burglarized. You have felt the vulnerability that came from someone violating your private property. Maybe even this week something came up at work. Maybe there was an opportunity for you to change a decimal point in your favor or there was a chance for you get a head quickly by some grey area. Our society is dogged by theft and dishonesty and often those of us who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ fall victim to these choices.

Unfortunately, this is nothing new. The children of God have always seemed to struggle with this commandment. Probably the most significant section of scripture that deals with stealing Joshua chapter 6 and 7.

The people of Israel are about to take down the city of Jericho in the most unorthodox fashion ever recorded on military history. They are to march around the city and blow on some trumpets. God tells them that they are to dedicate everything to him. Destroy everything- man, woman, animal, building, bridge, tent- and dedicate every treasure found to the LORD.

The people agree. They march. The walls fall. And the city is theirs.

However, one guy, Achen, decides to five finger discount some things that catch his eye. He takes some treasure and hides it. It’s some small insignificant treasure. God won’t miss it. It isn’t hurting anybody. Or so he thinks.

After Jericho, the people of Israel head to Ai. Some spies go up and say, “this is going to be easy. Just give us a few thousand men to fight. It isn’t worth everyone’s trouble. These men head into battle and get defeated. Joshua rips his clothes falls on his face and weeps to God.

“You were going to be with us! You are supposed to defeat our enemies. What’s the deal?!?!?!”

Joshua 7:10-12
The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

So Joshua tells the people to get together for a “Come to Yahweh Meeting.” The Lord whittles all the tribes down to clans. The clans down to families. And then finally the families down to Achen.

Joshua 7:19-22
Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the LORD.

Then just like the kids at Disney World, Achen and his family were sent home!

Seriously, there was a huge punishment. Achen and his family were stoned, their animals and belongings were burned. It was a bad deal.

Over the last few weeks we have been studying through Exodus 20 looking at the commandments that God gave his people. We have looked at murder, taking the Lord’s name in vein, and maintaining a Sabbath attitude.

Now today as we look at stealing and cheating I realize that God is reminding us that we ought not to trade the important for the immediate.

When it comes to our anger it is immediately easy to cut someone down, physically or emotional, than it is to walk away.
When it comes to those who have affairs it is immediately easy to crawl into bed with someone else than it is to do the important thing and work diligently on their marriage.
We all know how easy it is to blurt or whatever comes to mind when we hit our hand with a hammer.

We have become slaves to the immediate. God wants us to live in the freedom of the important.

Now we come to Exodus 20 verse 15:

You shall not steal.

It seems that stealing is everywhere in our society.

In business, look at Enron. To be the best they had to cheat. They stole millions from their employees and hard working men and women. They weren’t the only company to do it either. Enron has become the Kleenex, Q-tip or Coke of corporate fraud. The brand name of corporate thievery if you will. Healthsouth, Tyco, and dozens of other companies have done the exact same thing. The experts call it “cooking the books” or “fraud.” I call it stealing.

Students, I would be willing to bet that every student in here has cheated or copied someone else’s work. I didn’t do a lot of cheating but one time I drew an entire map of Europe on my desk for a geography quiz. That’s huge!!! Maybe you’ve just glanced over for a second or it was just one fill in the blank. It doesn’t matter if its one answer or a whole essay from the Internet. It’s stealing.

I know that this is a sensitive subject but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention stealing movies, music, and computer programs over the Internet. If you don’t pay for it, it isn’t yours. It is a big deal.

Couples, when you value your job or career or hobby over the one you promised to cherish over everything else. Isn’t that cheating your spouse.

All of these things place the immediate in front of the important. It is always easier to serve our selves than it is to serve someone else completely.

Everyone, believer or unbeliever, knows that stealing is wrong. Taking something that isn’t yours is a basic belief that everyone knows.

However, there is another problem that occurs when we, believers, steal. It is a fundamental problem that lies at the very heart of our faith.

Let me just boil this whole problem with stealing and cheating down to it’s essence:

When we choose to steal or cheat our way forward we are telling God, “You cannot provide for me. I guess I have to do something for myself.”

That’s the bottom line. It all comes down to your faith in God. Not what you say about you faith but how you truly live your faith out. It doesn’t matter if we steal time or TVs, answers on a test or music on the internet. It is a huge issue for those of us who serve the Lord. Do your actions betray your words. It’s that simple.

When we choose to steal or cheat our way forward we are telling God, “You cannot provide for me. I guess I have to do something for myself.”

So, What now?

We need to be reminded that God has provided for us in the past and he will continue to provided for us well into the future as long as we are dedicating everything to him.

Colossians 3:15   
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 4:2   
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Many of us have forgotten what peace looks like. We have become so engrossed in our own lives and the immediacy of our wants that the word “peace” holds no meaning for us. Contentment seems like something more for the Beav’ than for you and me.

We live in a world of over abundance. We continue consuming without a thought much less a thanks for what we have.

We need to spend a little time with our Father.

As I looked through scripture, I couldn’t find an instance where Jesus directly spoke about stealing. If it’s in there, I couldn’t find it.

However, Luke 19 tells us about a man who came in contact with Jesus who apparently was a thief.

Luke 19:1-10
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore–fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

Zacchaeus spent an afternoon with Jesus and was reminded of the joy of being a child of God. Maybe we need to spent a little quality time in order to remind us of our own blessings.

Hebrews 12:28   
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

If you are a believer, you will inherit a kingdom that far outweighs every paper clip, flat screen, dollar bill, party song, everything. Don’t be an Achen!!!

God has promised you that you will be taken care of. He is with you. Why jeopardize that to add to you already vast assortment of toys?

Our world is full of cheaters, thieves, and people who are looking to serve only themselves. Too often we as Christians point and shake our fingers at the world with one hand while we reach and grab with our other.

Imagine what would happen if we were know as a people of great thankfulness and joy. Imagine what our community would look like if we became this type of body. Giving not taking. Selfless not selfish.

Maybe today, you want to dedicate your life to God. You are tired of consuming the things of this world and you want to be consumed by the Father that provides for us all.

Or maybe you just need to be reminded of the blessings you already have.

Stealing isn’t just wrong. It strips God of his role as Father and provider for your life. Never, never trade the immediate for the important.

It’s the ultimate fashion accessory for people who “love their dogs a bit too much.”

Imported from the United States, these colourful and stylish “doggie bags” enable devoted dog owners to carry their puppies and little pooches wherever they go.

Designed to be “lightweight” with an adjustable strap, the “PuppyPurse” is exactly as it sounds.

Carry it by the handles or fling the straps around your shoulder or even waist, it enables the dog lover to go out and about with a little furry friend friend literally by their side.

link

I’ve been awfully music heavy the last few days so I wanted to shake it up a little and catch everyone up on what’s been going on in my busy life.

I updated the links page with some of my favorite blogs.

I just finished my first summer at my new church. By the gace of God, I believe that it was a success. I have about 30 awesome teens who enjoying being together and who have a great habit of inviting their friends. The summer went by very, very quickly. I actually started on May 30th and before I knew it - August had arrived. I am currently trying to put together the fall calendar and I have a lock-in and a big cookout on the horizon. This week I’m visiting my students at school and getting achance to meet more of their friends. Today’s visit was a lot of fun. I love being a Youth Minister.

This coming Sunday I’m going to “the Dance.” That’s right, I’m stepping into the pulpit for Sunday morning worship assembly. It’s the big game! We have been going through Exodus 20 taking a fresh look at the Ten Commandments. I’ll be covering v. 15:

Thou shalt not steal.

I know a little bit about stealing. When I was a little elementary kid, I used to put gum on the end of wire hangers and steal quarters, nickels, and dimes out of the high school student’s lockers at my school for sodas. I might mention that this Sunday. Maybe.

Btw, I think the Ten Commandments sound a lot better in the King’s English but that’s just me.

Some books that you need to read right now:

Some albums that you need to hear right now:

I’ll leave you with this:

On your journey as a believer, questions automatically arise. Who am I and what is my calling? Am I called to be a deacon? Am I called to be a pastor? Am I called to be an evangelist, a fireman, or a retail salesperson? Am I called into counseling, sports medicine, or intercession? Paul let’s us know that those questions are good starting points for a young believer, but as you mature in your faith, the callings that once consumed you begin to diminish, and the sumreme calling to one thing becomes ever clearer. Whether you are annointed or not is no longer the motivaing drive of a mature individual. The motivating thing becomes: Am I tender toward the Lord? Am I moved when he comes near me? Instead of being consumed with numbers and results, ask yourself: Do I hunger for Him like I used to? Is my gaze still focused and my eyes still pure? Is my heart expanding in the understanding of this Man, Jesus? Paul’s exhortation is clear. As you mature in your faith, your pursuit of Jesus becomes more and more consuming.

Dwaye Roberts, One Thing

May you begin to ask yourself the deeper questions.

Peace,
Micheal

Nothing gets me as riled up as bad music. Well, I take that back. Nothing gets me as riled up as bad music that is passed off as great music.

Exhibit A:
Yesterday I posted the K-Fed video. What a nightmare! There are hundreds of bands who are out there working hard and paying their dues making music that is real, positive, and revolutionary and this yahoo marries a pop princess and gets prime-time airspace to destroy my ear drum with his drivel? What’s that about?

Exhibit B:
Yesterday, MTV Hits dedicated the entire day to P.Diddy’s fake band Danity Kane because their album dropped today. Art and Corporations don’t work together. Ever. Period.

Oh yeah, Exhibit B2 would be that Paris’ “album” dropped today as well.

Exhibit C:
Fergie’s London Bridge
Danity Kane’s Show Stopper
Justin’s SexyBack
The Pussycat Doll’s Buttons
Nelly Furtado’s Promiscuious

All crap songs. All chart dominators.

Well today fellow readers, I stand in great company. Not only am I tired of the junk pumping from America’s speakers but the father of modern music is too.

Who am I? I’m a nobody consumer who spends a great deal of time with my iPod.

Who is the father of modern music? Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan says the quality of modern recordings is “atrocious,” and even the songs on his new album sounded much better in the studio than on disc.”I don’t know anybody who’s made a record that sounds decent in the past 20 years, really,” the 65-year-old rocker said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. Dylan, who released eight studio albums in the past two decades, returns with his first recording in five years, “Modern Times,” next Tuesday. Noting the music industry’s complaints that illegal downloading means people are getting their music for free, he said, “Well, why not? It ain’t worth nothing anyway.”

“You listen to these modern records, they’re atrocious, they have sound all over them,” he added. “There’s no definition of nothing, no vocal, no nothing, just like … static.”

Don’t trick yourself into believing that Bob is just some old coot who is pining away for the good old days. He would be the first to tell you that the old days weren’t that good (socially).

No, Mr. Dylan is just a man who has seen a lot of musicians and heard a lot of music that is disposable. He’s tired of.

When will America get tired of it?

link

Chad, I road tested this playlist last night and hope it meets your incredibly high standards.

1. Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears
2. Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
3. Ultra Violet (Light My Way) by U2
4. When You Were Young by the Killers
5. Come Together by Third Day
6. Show Me How to Live by Audioslave
7. Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
8. Breathe by Michele Branch
9. God Gave Me Everything by Mick Jagger
10. It’s My Life by No Doubt
11. Who’ll Stop the Rain by Credence Clearwater Revival
12. Don’t Look Back in Anger by Oasis

tracks 1 and 2: Warm Up
3-10: The Workout
11 and 12: Cool Down

Enjoy

iTunes

Kfed’s Lose Control on the Teen Choice Awards

1) Best. version. of “Lie in Our Graves.” ever.

2) New favorite with “You Might Die Tryin’.”

3) Rashawn Ross is an awesome trumpet player and a great addition to the tour.

4) “Down by the Bah-YOU!”

5) I was there with the most beautiful woman in the world.

Setlist
Best of What’s Around
Song That Jane Likes
Say Goodbye
Don’t Burn the Pig
Lie In Our Graves
Break Free
Crash
Hunger For The Great Light
Dream Girl
Dancing Nancies
Warehouse
You Might Die Trying
Louisiana Bayou
Pantala Naga Pampa
Rapunzel

Encore:
What You Are
Stay

We had lawn seat but I was able to get inside the first perimeter of security guards in order to take these pictures. The security at the front half of the venue though were madmen about keeping people back. At one point a security guard spoke harshly at me that cameras were prohibited (Not one sign saying that this year). “Prohibited,” she yelled as she waved her arms in my face. As a slinked back to my little piece of lawn in the back I passed a dozen or so people with their camera phones out taking pictures. There is no way that you can police that. Both U2 and Coldplay allowed small cameras. Dave will allow you to set up a small recording studio in the seat next to you but won’t allow cameras. I’m not buying it.

(photos: My new hat, The Band hard at work, Four times the Dave)

Most Bible scholars and ministers have heard of Johnathan Edwards’ famous Blank Bible.

In 1730, Jonathan Edwards acquired a book-like, leather-bound manuscript containing an interleaved printed edition of the King James Version of the Bible. Over the next three decades, Edwards proceeded to write in the manuscript more than five thousand notes and entries relating to biblical texts.

Here is a photo of Edwards’ Bible:

Inspired by this, Tony Reinke at The Shepherd’s Scrapbook decided to make his own version of the perfect journaling Bible.

Part 1 details the genesis of the idea and the first steps toward completeing the task.
Part 2 reads alot like Edison and the light bulb. He didn’t fail, Tony just found ways that wouldn’t work.
Part 3 Hazah! Success and beauty all spiral bound together.

Looks like I’ve got some Christmas presents to work on! Thanks Tony!!!

Via

Hope you all have a great weekend. I wanted to post this video from Corinne Bailey Rae’s self titled album. The song is called Trouble Sleeping and it is a great the-weekend’s-here-time-for-me-to-just-chill-out summer tune. Oh yeah, and it features a jazz flute. Stay classy everyone.

Link

From the Introduction to Reggie McNeal’s Practicing Greatness: 7 Disciplines of Extrordinary Spiritual Leaders:

Humility derives from the leader’s awareness of where his or her source of strength lies.

Jesus’ idea of greatness revolves around humility and service- a far cry from our typical associations with this concept.

Great leaders bless people. They inspire and encourage, The help people become more than what they have been, maybe even more than they thought that they could be. Great leaders help people be part of something bigger than themselves. In short, great leaders leave people better off than they were before the leader entered their lives.

Leaders who have an appropriate view of self (humility), combined with the capacity to help others (service), don’t just show up in the nick of time. They are crafted over time. They practice being great. Extraordinary character and exceptional competence develop over time. Leaders must make countless good choices and right calls to fasion greatness.

In the spiritual realm, greatness is not pursued for greatness’ sake. Perhaps this statement should go without saying, but to do so would run an unwarranted risk of a colossal misunderstanding about the pursuit of greatness for spiritual leaders. Genuinely great spiritual leaders do not do what they do for themselves or even as a way to become recognized as great leaders. The end game for spiritual leaders is about expanding the kingdom of God. They pursue greatness because they are passionate about God and helping other people experience the life God intends for them to enjoy. In the end, great spiritual leaders are not interested in calling attention to themselves. They point people to a great God. This is the sort of greatness we are desperate for.

Greatness is earned. It is not a gift; it is a reward. It is not accidental; it is cultivated. It is not bestowed by others; it is self-determined. You do not need to hope it happens. You can plot a course to make it happen. “Am I a great leader?” or “Do I want to be a great leader?” are questions only you can answer. You will answer them one way or another. The kingdom of God is at stake.

You are free to practice greatness.

If that doesn’t stir your soul about becoming a great leader, I don’t know what will.

Dare to be great.

Recently, the Dave Matthews Band informed their fans that in order to fulfill the band’s contract obligations they would be releasing a greatest hits disc. They asked the fans to contribute their favorite 10 tracks for consideration. Thanks to Sarah for the heads up. The survey will be ending on Friday, August 18, 2006 so hurry up and vote!!!

I couldn’t narrow my picks down to just 10 but I was able to choose 40 of my favorite Dave Matthews Band tracks. I don’t think that they will release a 4 disc Greatest Hits but if they do, maybe they can learn a little from my would be compilation. Taking my cue from Pearl Jam’s greatest hits (which had an Up disc for rockin’ hits and a Down disc for the mellow tracks) and the Love/God/Murder Johnny Cash sets I have arranged my favorite Dave tracks into four catagories. And no, they aren’t in alphabetical order. Enjoy!

Love (Disc 1)
Granny
Angel
Crash Into Me
Dreamgirl
Crush
Everyday
Grace Is Gone
Lover Lay Down
Stay(Wasting Time)
Christmas Song
Say Goodbye

Life (Disc 2)
#41
Don’t Burn the Pig
Ants Marching
Cry Freedom
Dreaming Tree
Best of What’s Around
Where Are You Going
Typical Situation
One Sweet World
Satellite
Seek Up

War Within (Disc 3)
Big Eyed Fish
Bartender
Dancing Nancies
Gravedigger
Grey Street
What Would You Say
Sugar Will
Lie In Our Graves

War Without (Disc 4)
American Baby (Intro)
American Baby
Don’t Drink the Water
When the World Ends
Last Stop
Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour)
Stand Up
Louisiana Bayou
The Stone
All Along the Watchtower

BTW, on August 19, 1999 I spotted some cute girl wearing a Dave Summer Tour shirt and struck up a conversation with her. Who knew that 2 years later I would marry that girl.

Sandy and I will be celebrating the day we met this Saturday at the Dave concert in Dallas. We are stoked.

Update: To be fair, early this morning Emergent No issued an apology for anything that they may have said, not just about Lucado but the entire Emergent movement, that came across as mean spirited. Ok, well it isn’t exactly an apology and you have to wait for it until well into the post but it is a great start. If you would like to read that post you can find it here. I didn’t know that I held that much sway!!!

Original Post:
Due to my background, I have heard all kinds of critisim directed toward Max Lucado. I heard that he isn’t a good speaker. I heard people complain about his writing. I heard that he doesn’t believe in baptism. You name it, I’ve heard it. Now, the negative nancies over at Emergent No have accused Lucado of being a Quaker.

I’m not here to be a cheerleader for Lucado. I have enjoyed his insight into Scripture and as a young Christian he helped me focus my life on the Savior. For that I am thankful and will always be thankful. Countless numbers of people can say the same thing.

I am more dismayed by the Emergent No people who love to ring their “It’s the end of Christianity as we know it!!!” bell. The owners of the blog consistently turn off the comment feature thus defeating the community conversation that they pretend to have. I read their blog like I slow down when their is an accident on the highway. I crane my neck to see what the hullabaloo is all about. Emergent No is one of the great alarmist websites out there today right next to AV1611.0rg and Steath Bible.

Here is what Denise has to say about Lucado’s new book.

From the Lightouse blog: “Cure for the Common Life, by author Max Lucado, is a book about “living in your sweet spot.” Lucado tells readers in chapter one to “[h]eed that inner music,” and quoting mystic Martin Buber from his book, The Way of Man (a book on Jewish mysticism), Lucado tells readers they each have a “divine spark.” Buber had panentheistic affinities as he embraced the teachings of Hasidism (Jewish mysticism) and believed that this divine spark that Lucado refers to is in every human being and every part of creation. Through Lucado’s book he quotes other mystics and contemplatives: Saint Thomas Aquinas,Thomas Merton, Eugene Peterson and Richard Foster.”

The “divine spark” sounds like what the Quakers teach:

“At the very centre of the Quaker faith lies the concept of the Inner Light. This principle states that in every human soul there is implanted a certain element of God’s own Spirit and divine energy. This element, known to early Friends as “that of God in everyone”, “the seed of Christ”, or “the seed of Light”, means to Friends, in the words of John 1:9, “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world”.”

“The fundamental belief of Friends is that there is that of God in every person. This core belief shapes all of Friends’ faith and practice. Because we believe that every person has access to the Light Within, we seek to follow the Spirit as it is revealed in our own experience, rather than dogma, and our worship grows out of silent waiting for the awareness of truth. Because we believe in the Divine Spark in all persons, we are called to seek nonviolence and social justice. This is exemplified in Friends’ conscientious objection to war, and our historical role in the US antislavery movement. –The Oxford Ohio Friends (Quakers).

The quote from the Ohio Quakers sounds just like the Contemplative Spiritualists. Do a web search on “divine spark” and see the massive amount of pagan websites that come up.

Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries has an article on the Quakers which mentions a “divine spark.” Richard Foster is a Quaker, so this is no surprise that it has come into professing Christianity via Foster and Dallas Willard (also influenced by not only Foster, but Quaker founder, George Fox).

Apparently Lucado is also on the “Be Still” dvd as well.

Watch out for Max Lucado. Check your church libraries to see if they carry his books. Alert your pastors and anyone you know that likes him. He’s another huge author that has apparently gone Contemplative. This error is infiltrating many areas, creeping in under the radar often times, and we need to be watching carefully, be on guard, so that we can stay away from false teachers and their teaching, and cling to only what is good and Scriptural and Christ-honoring.

That last paragraph is my favorite. Chicken Little Er, Emergent No has yet again come to the rescue. Thanks guys.

All sarcasm aside, I believe that using phrases like “inner music” and “Divine spark” acctually speak to men and women who are looking for some sort of spirituality in their life. I bet that type of approach would be greeted with open arms at your local Hot Topic. This language is something that they are looking to understand. I can guarantee that Lucado, Foster, and Peterson do not subscribe to some sort of humanistic ideal. That isn’t their goal. Their goal is to bring as many people as possible into a relationship with Jesus Christ. I guarantee it.

Is using those words any different from Paul quoting pagan poets in Acts 17? I don’t think so.