REFLECTIONS ON PREACHING #4

Nourishment And Nurture

The tools in the preacher’s tool chest must be skillfully used to present the word from God. The hammer and the fire are not the sword and the sword is not the master swordsman. They are merely tools use to create the work of art. We must acknowledge as well that not every sermon is a masterpiece but it should attempt to be a work of art. This is also handling the word of God correctly.

Gadgetry and gimmickry should never be mistaken for relevance. An illustration that needs to be explained fails as an illustration. A story that must be interpreted and explained fails to contribute to the sermon and is in fact a distraction. Take note of the limited number of times Jesus explained his stories (parables) and when he did it was to his closest disciples not the masses. What are we willing to sacrifice upon the altar of relevance? Are we ready to sacrifice biblical accuracy or scriptural fidelity? Are these acceptable sacrifices to the god of relevance? In an attempt at relevance, these are often sacrificed needlessly by ignoring the literary, historical and grammatical context of scripture. This I would argue is not handling correctly the word of God.

The preacher of God’s word must be faithful to the text. As one of my New Testament Professors often reminded us, “We are people of the book.” He would continue by saying, “If one does not know what the text meant it is unlikely that he will ever know what it means.” Let the text speak for itself and in so doing one will discover the relevance to the human condition. Determine from the text what God is saying, listen to the word and let the text speak rather than bringing our own agenda to the text. Let the questions arise from the text. To sacrifice fidelity to the text at the altar of relevance is to create something other than a word from God and therefore fails as preaching the word of God.

Relevance, however, is important because the word from God must intersect our world (lives). It is “down at the crossroads” of Straight Street (where we like Saul meet the man of God) and State Street (where we like he rebel against the will of God) that the preacher must take his stand between these two worlds on a collision course. It is here that he will bond with and bolster the people of God. This intersection is always the point of contact where the word from God comes to life. It is here that it (the word) can renew, redeem, restore and transform the people of God. It is the task of the preacher to stand at the intersection between these two worlds and facilitate the merger of the two for the benefit of God’s people. Coming to this juncture with good news, we boldly answer our calling. At this junction, the preacher meshes and melds together the healing power of God’s word and applies it to the painful and perilous reality of the human condition. When these worlds collide, we discover left in horrific aftermath the necessity for authentic biblical preaching. If the preacher is faithful to his calling and if he can rise to the occasion then, in that instant, in that marvelous moment something wonderful occurs. It is here that time stands still and one beholds the magnificent culmination of hours of labor. The approved workman provides a demonstration of the art of preaching. The people of God will be witness too behold the living realization of the artistry of preaching.

When the preacher does this with passion, purpose, power and in a picturesque manner then he has become more than just a technician, he is an artist. He is (an approved workman) handling correctly the word of God and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. He has then, a word from God and the people will hear a word from God. People are starving for such an authentic word of good news and hope in a world full of despair and desperation.

This is the true art of preaching, a spiritual calling and a labor of love. This is a spiritual endeavor from the selection of the text (finding the right iron ore), to the molding shaping and tempering (hammer, anvil and water) and finally to the delivery (wielded and whetted by the hands of the skilled swordsman). It is “sharper than any double-edged sword…” A preacher must be devoted to the spiritual process, which is preaching. Pray it through, prepare it thoroughly and present triumphantly with passion the word from the transcendent God (good news) that will transform the transient people of God.

Consider then in conclusion, that in following this path fulfills Aristotle’s three points by presenting a moral and ethical imperative and credibility or the speaker, a rational or logical proposal i.e. the reason why should do a thing and an emotional appeal to change heart, mind and life of the people of God. In addition, it elevates preaching to a wonderful and magnificent art form worthy of honor, respect, passion. An artistic endeavor worthy of greater attention and devotion by those who are called to practice the ancient and divine art of preaching. It is “making soup” not just “boiling water,” by sharing the bread of life and manna from heaven with a people famished by lack of spiritual nourishment. It prepares and presents a feast that will nurture and nourish the family of God. Finally, it fulfills the scriptural proposition with which this writing began. It is rightly or faithfully, “handling the word of God,” and it is proclaiming the “good news of the kingdom of God.”

Bob Phillips

REFLECTIONS ON PREACHING #3

"Boiling Water" or "Making Soup"

The delivery should be passionate, purposeful, picturesque and powerful. The passion comes from the preacher living with, praying over and being transformed personally by the word. The power will emanate from this passion and more importantly from presence of the Spirit of God. These two elements are at least occasionally a part of the preaching found in our churches. Yet, in my experience rarely do we labor over the words we use to communicate the message. It is the words we choose that communicate powerfully, purposefully and passionately to the people of God.


We frequently substitute technology, gadgetry and gimmickry for finely crafted words that paint a picture and communicate in the tones, tenor and rhythms that allow us to experience the depth of life in God. We are wordsmiths using the words that can evoke images of the beauty and wonders of a transformed life. Take for example three such individuals Abraham Lincoln,[1] Jonathan Edwards[2]


In addition, Martin Luther King Jr.[3] and the excerpts from some of their speeches where there use of words is imaginative and creative. These are intended to be examples of how a skilled wordsmith uses words. It is both their choice of words and their use of words to captivate, motivate and create. Their words leave us with images that are undeniably moving and unforgettable. We should strive to become true wordsmiths who give great attention to the words we choose to craft and create sermons that truly transform. This is correctly handling the word of God.


I have with great interest witnessed sermons, or what was represented to be sermons. Yet, they resemble something more akin to a stand-up comedy routine than a sermon. While Bill Cosby might be proud of such effort, I am not sure that this would be Jesus’ preference. We are forced to endure 15 minutes of jokes and random humorous antidotes, with maybe a few minutes of scripture to make it sound biblical. While humor is a useful tool, even Jesus uses humor to make his point, a sermon must be more. Never interject humor just for humor’s sake. It is not our calling to entertain but rather to transform. The sermon is not a comedy routine but a word from God (good news). In a preaching seminar by Fred Craddock this excellent preacher and professor of preaching said, “preaching is more than boiling water, it is making soup.”


We have become accustom to and even dependent upon the use video clips and power point presentations to present the message. By relying on these technologies so heavily, are we “just boiling water” or are we “making soup?”


These technologies are wonderful innovations and magnificent mechanical advances of our age, but still they are just tools. Neil Postman’s book, “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” points out the tendency of our generation to view everything in terms of entertainment and how this has influenced our generation. Thirty seconds to one-minute commercials and thirty-minute television programs grab our attention but fail to hold it. They make an emotional appeal but often fail to give a valid reason and frequently ignore the ethics of the speaker or of what is being asked of the listeners. How often do we click between programs, watching multiple programs at the same time? The remote, controls our lives rather than God.


Therefore, we frequently evaluate and even prepare sermons based upon how well they meet the criterion amusement, technology and emotion. Preachers are tempted to go a step further and even attempt to pass it off as good news and correctly handling the word of God. Sermons that must be no more than thirty minutes long and multi-media presentations that try to mimic Madison Avenue’s add campaigns are an accommodation to our culture. Culture does not dictate good news. Good news is the word from God.


I recently was involved in an elder’s meeting where our discussion focused upon the need to keep sermons and worship short so as not to impose upon the people’s time. The phrase that one of my fellow elders used repeatedly was, “we must be time conscious.” My position was that it would be of greater value for us to be more God conscious than time conscious. I have no morbid desire to endure an excessively long drawn out sermon, which rambles and aimlessly plods along with no apparent point. A sermon should never be an imposition either upon the people or upon God. Time is not God. What are we willing to sacrifice upon the altar of “time consciousness?” These accommodations to culture, I believe, fail the test of being good news, or correctly handling the word of God, and fail miserably.

One should remember that these technologies and techniques are very useful tools. However, they are just tools and not the essence of or foundation upon which the sermon is constructed. A skilled artisan never confuses his tools with his gift or skill in using the tools. The preacher must use all his tools and never allow the tools to use him.


[1] Abraham Lincoln. Second Inaugural Address. Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
[2] Jonathan Edwards. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them. The devils watch them; they are ever by them at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like reedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back.
[3] Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream” In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds. "But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.


To be continued....

Bob Phillips

REFLECTIONS ON PREACHING #2

Forging The Blade

The blade is not only beautiful it is hand crafted and forged with just the right balance of strength and flexibility. If the metal is, too hard it becomes brittle and breaks easily. If the metal is, too soft it will fail to hold an edge and will be dull and useless. In either case, the sword becomes useless. Finally, the sword must be tested by a blade master to determine if it is suitable for the task for which it was made. A sword, even one that is perfectly made, is only a tool. This tool when wielded by the hand of a master swordsman can faithfully accomplish the task for which it was made. Becoming a master artisan or a master swordsman both take time and effort. While a preacher will unlikely, become a complete master of the craft, never the less he must strive to achieve that goal.

In the art of preaching, the preacher is an artist who is both the sword maker and the swordsman for both are art forms. The art of preaching must be approached as a spiritual endeavor. From the selection of the right text (the ore) to the study and research (heating, forging and hammering out and shaping the metal on the anvil) to the delivery of the sermon (the testing and use of the tool that was forged in the fires and tempered in the waters) this is from beginning to end a spiritual undertaking. Preaching then, is to take this sword of the Spirit and wield it with skill and strength against the forces of darkness and evil in such a way that it transforms the people of God.

Preaching must never destroy the people of God. It must be used to decapitate and destroy the multi-headed hydra, which is evil in our world. Evil like the hydra of myth will often replace the decapitated heads with multiple replacements. As a result, the craft of preaching is continuing process, a spiritual battle against evil for the hearts and minds of the people of God. Preaching must be transformational for the people of God not destructive to them. That means proclaiming good news that changes hearts, minds and the lives of God’s people.

The people of God should rightfully expect to hear a word from God when they come together. Preaching must begin with the scripture and proceeds with the great physician’s prescription to heal the disease of sin that plagues humanity. This word from God will mend the broken hearted and bind up that which is broken. This is an illusion to scripture found as a part of the message Jesus sends to John the Baptist. The disciples of John whom he had sent to ask if Jesus was the messiah or should they expect another. The last part of the quote from Jesus is that “the poor have the good news preached to them.” Mark tells us that Jesus “preached the good news.” Jesus is the preacher with a word from God (good news) to the people of God.

That word from God must begin with “the Word of God” (scripture) and not with the human condition. The text of scripture is the raw material from which the sermon must come. It is the approved workman who handles correctly the word of God. One should be as passionate about the process of drawing out from the scripture that unique word from God. It is something that the preacher must live with, meditate upon and pray over, because as he hammers and shapes the sermon it is also molding and shaping the preacher. It is a unique symbiotic relationship between preacher and sermon. While the preacher shapes and sharpens the sermon, the sermon also shapes and sharpens the preacher.

The preacher should refrain from bringing his own agenda to the text but rather, listen attentively to the word from God. The art of truly listening is much neglected discipline in our age. It is even more neglected and difficult when it comes to listening to the small still voice of God. This is a most difficult task. Listening to the text will help the preacher hear the questions that the text presents and provide the answers for troubled souls. There are so many competing voices to contend with in our lives. The preacher should resist the persistent and almost oppressive urge to listen to the voices of pop-culture, pop psychology and pop theology. Despite the fact that these are interesting, intriguing and as tempting as these all may be to pursue in another venue, they are not the source of our message. They are not the source of the questions or the answers, they are the dilemma and the disease to be addressed and healed. Listen to the text first and the culture second, then you have a word from God to the people of God (good news).

The television programs “The Office, Lost, Ugly Betty or even My Name is Earl” or other pop cultural programs are all the rage as resources for preaching material. However, the preacher should be cognizant that these events or programs are not where the sermon must begin. It is a simple and frequently a popular approach to grab a story or maybe theme from one these programs as an idea for a sermon. Then proceed to the concordance to find some scriptures that validate the theme and develop the idea, then present it as a sermon. This too, it would seem fails to measure up to the standard of “correctly handling the word of God,” “the sword of the Spirit.” Start with the word and bring its healing message to the present human condition, which is often well illustrated by pop culture images and stories. However, they are not the ore from which the craftsman forges the sword. That ore is the scripture. The preacher must begin with the scripture.

To be continued....

Bob Phillips

REFLECTIONS ON PREACHING

A PHILOSOPHY OF PREACHING

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. The time has come, he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.” (Mark 1:14-15) There are two ideas embodied in these passages that set the tone and tenor for what will follow. The first is found in the phrase “correctly handles the word of truth.” The second is “Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming (preaching) the good news of God.”

While watching an educational program on the ancient art of Japanese sword making, my thinking began to coalesce around a philosophy of preaching. Admittedly, I stumbled over this idea and over a period of several years. However, I must admit that I do not have a deep or abiding believe in coincidence, so I feel compelled to attempt to glean from this story a spiritual application. I have over the years frequently ruminated on, reflected upon and considered the implications of this story. In so doing, I have been able to formalize and synthesize my thinking in regards to the art of preaching. I have devoted considerable intellectual energy and exerted tremendous effort in the process to develop this philosophy yet it occurs to me that it continues to be a work in progress. In the final analysis preaching, I am firmly convinced, is truly an art form.

Consider then, the following propositions, first, that the art of preaching has become a poorly practiced and second, often-neglected discipline in our post-modern age. Aristotle (the father of Western Philosophy and Rhetoric) proposed that oral address and persuasive writing contained three elements. From this evolved the erroneous or distorted application of a concept called the three-point sermon. I would assert that it is erroneous or distorted because, the three-point sermon of today shows very little resemblance to Aristotle’s concept of three points. His three points were not an outline with one, two and three or A, B, and C nor was it about three blank spaces on a power point presentation.

Aristotle proposed that every writing and oral discourse or in our case, sermon consisted of three points or elements that have remained a constant for almost 2500 years. These he postulated or proposed were the ethos (ethical or moral appeal, for him this included the credibility of the speaker or writer), logos (logical or rational appeal for him this was the most important) and pathos (an emotional appeal). In our post-modern culture, logic and reason are rejected and ethics and morals have become subjective. The emotional appeal has become dominate in this culture to the exclusion of the reasonableness of the argument or the credibility of the speaker. What is left with then, is an over emphasis on emotion. Frequently this results in an unbalanced incorrect handling of the word of God. This lack of balance is I believe detrimental to the art of preaching.

In the story of Japanese blacksmith (sword maker), an aged sword master spoke humbly and with great reverence and respect for his art. He said, that he viewed it as a spiritual endeavor from beginning (selecting the right piece of ore) to end (a razor sharp, ornate, beautifully crafted blade). In his view, it was much more than a job. It was both a spiritual calling and a labor of love. The master blacksmith prayed as he selected just the right piece of raw ore. He prayed as he smelted the ore in a hand made furnace, a process that takes days. He prays as he forges the metal. As he hammers it out on the anvil and continuously folds the hot steel into the shape and strength desired, he prays. At the end of this spiritual process, we are left with a beautiful razor sharp, perfectly balanced sword that glistens in and reflects the sun light. We posses a blade that is useful and powerful in finding off and destroying the forces of darkness and spiritual evil, wherever they may rear their ugly heads. There are two passages of scripture, I suggest, that are applicable to the story.

Ephesians 6:17b “…the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

To be continued....

Bob Phillips

LOT: A Post Apocalyptic Interpretation

The movies and television are replete with examples of stories based upon someone’s post-apocalyptic vision of the future. Three “Mad Max” movies, at least two somewhat forgettable movies by Kevin Costner (“Waterworld,” “The Postman”), “The Children of Men,” and on television “Jeremiah” and “Jericho,” in an abstract sense “Lost” and let us not forget Will Smith in “I am Legend” and Charlton Hesston in the classic “Omega Man.”
The gifted and talented writers of these futuristic stories use their fantastic imagination to paint an abstract portrait of a possible or even potential future world. They often take artistic license to conjure and fabricate the image of a decaying world that follows some cataclysmic upheaval. The architect or culprit of this “Brave New World,” whether overtly, inadvertently or covertly is always man, yet it is usually God whom the survivor’s blame for their current plight. God is always to blame for adversity and rarely even considered in prosperity. God is present, active and near in both circumstances even though unseen, unacknowledged and blamed.

The back stories usually feature events such as an accidental or intentional unleashing of a global pandemic. Some stories feature the senseless and catastrophic accidental or intentional release of thermal nuclear weapons resulting in a global war of mutual assured destruction. The fictitious yet extremely imaginative stories of such events are generally followed by universal death and destruction. Left in there wake is the ragged remnants of human kind struggling for survival against inconceivable odds.

Detailed character sketches are drawn of ordinary people in difficult circumstances. Frequently men and women who are emotionally, physically and psychologically scared yet against all hope attempting to rebuild a broken world. These lone, often deeply flawed individuals wrestling against the elements and each other in an attempt to bring sanity and stability to an unstable and insane world. They discover that there is strength in numbers, as small groups of people banding together out of necessity or some survival instinct in and attempt to bring the bright rays of hope to a hopeless society. These intrepid pioneer’s of an upside down world, cultural relativism and society in upheaval, surviving seemingly insurmountable odds to bring hope of human survival or even triumph in the most hopeless of times and circumstances.

If you wrote yourself into such a story would you be hero or villain? Would you be a survivor or victim? What character flaws would exert themselves or what virtues would bubble to the surface? We would all like to imagine ourselves as the hero with its inherent nobility and virtue, yet in our very best moments the true image lies somewhere in between hero and villain. We are frequently less virtuous and heroic than we hope and wish we were, however, we are not nearly the villain that the accuser and our own doubts and fears would like to convince us we are. The truth for all of us is that in times of adversity and hopelessness we are all capable of great nobility and equally as great ignoble behavior. After the apocalypse what or who will survive?
Consider if you will a possibility of the re-imagining or rethinking of certain biblical stories with the preceding thoughts as a foundation and framework for there interpretation. It occurs to this writer that the story of Lot might be interpreted in such post-apocalyptic terms. Let us consider the possibility that the events surrounding the departure of Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah (the destruction of the cities of the plains, the subsequent death of his wife and his daughter’s solution regarding the preservation and propagation of the species) might be interpreted using just such a post-apocalyptic scenario. The world around them is in upheaval. Everything they have known and loved has been wiped out in an instant. They now exist in that dark haze amid the smoke and gloom of a shadowy world between what was and the uncertainty of what is yet to come.
One need not assume and I would not presume to assert that this is the only or even the correct interpretation of the events surrounding Lot’s departure from Sodom and Gomorrah. The following is presented as food for thought, as a mental and spiritual exercise to stretch our theological understanding. At the very least it may provide an interesting twist on a familiar story. It could also help us to understand the choice Lot’s daughters made. Understanding their choice is not to rationalize or justify their solution. The solution they came up with in their hour of desperation and in the midst of difficult and seemingly impossible circumstances is in final analysis their own. We are all tested by adversity and difficulty and by such events as these we learn volumes about our true nature and character.

Let us first consider the back story which is also the story within the story. Life in the cities of the plain, where the party never ends, must have been the ultimate hedonistic experience, one to rival “Animal House.” Sodom and Gomorrah are names, that even to this day, the very whisper of them conjure images of self-indulgence, debauchery, immorality, sexual perversion, pleasure, pain and every sort of evil. While these are the most famous cities, possibly the most evil, they were not the only cities of the plain. The two are the most extreme example of hedonism, narcissism, self-absorbed behavior and selfishness. They (Sodom and Gomorrah) are prototypically evil and perverse.

There were in fact five cities, one of which was Zoar (the city to which Lot and his daughter fled when leaving Sodom and Gomorrah). The fact is, they did not remain long in Zoar but fled to the mountains and caves to escape the destruction that surrounded them. It appears from the scripture that these other cities, in fact possibly all the cities of the plain were destroyed by fire and sulfur. Lot’s fear of staying in Zoar was quite rational in light of the destruction of every living thing which he and his daughters witnessed. The text says that even the vegetation was destroyed. Fight or flight is encoded in human genetic makeup.

Fleeing for your life with the screams and cries of death echoing through the valleys, mournful lament from the mountains where you hope to find shelter is the harshest reality one could imagine. It must have been both a helpless and hopeless situation for the trio running for the hills. When you combine these elements of the story with Lot’s wife death by salt (by turning to a pillar of salt) you have what must have appeared to all present to be an apocalypse. For all intent and purposes this is an end of the world scenario worthy of the best and most imaginative of Hollywood writers. Fire, smoke, sulfur, clouds of ash, people screaming writhing in agony, animals even vegetation destroyed in an instant. For all they know they are the only survivors.
Where there were once tens of thousands only three remain and their prospects for survival seem slim. In this drama where death and destruction are the stars, one also discovers a familiar formula which is a prescription for fear and hopelessness. It is this type of scenario where hopelessness reigns supreme and one’s metal is tested. Here in the crucible of fire and upon the anvil of adversity even good people will often consider drastic solutions, possibilities that in other circumstances would be unimaginable even unthinkable. It is “the best of times and it is the worst of times.” When tested by fire will we be consumed by the flame or purified by its heat?
If the world as you know it ended today what would you do? If you were forced to survive in a “Mad Max,” “I am Legend” world, how would you do it? What solutions would be, as they say, off the table? What choices would be unthinkable if survival of the species was at stake? What if you were or thought you were the last man or woman on earth? Would you cast aside old conventions, morality and ethical considerations? Will ignobility or nobility rule the day? Will we prove to be hero or villain or a little of both? How will we respond or react in an apocalyptic (end of the world) scenario? Does the good of the many out weigh the good of the few or the one?

While this last statement sounds like an acceptable philosophy in theory it may not be quite so acceptable on a practical level. It is a philosophy that could lead to the application of situational ethics frequently carried to extreme measures. This could lead to potential solutions that fail to consider what the far reaching consequences of what these actions might be. Dare we suggest that this would seem to be the case with Lot’s daughters?

Their solution, choosing to have children by their own father under conventional circumstances would be unthinkable. Marriage to close, but not immediate, family members seems to have been culturally and socially acceptable among Abraham’s people. Yet under such dire and devastating circumstances the unthinkable, it appears becomes not only thinkable but a desirable solution. Under what circumstances would you consider the unthinkable? It is easy to pass judgment from our remote and secure setting, but what if the situation was not so abstract and remote? The truth is that they were trying to find a human solution to a divine dilemma. Certainly we are never guilty of such spiritual arrogance are we?

The final result of their choice, even though they are not yet able to see it, does have far reaching consequences. They will create two new nations, the Moabites and the Ammonites. The descendants of Abraham will remain in conflict with these two nations for generations. A future king of Moab will attempt to convince Balaam to curse Israel and Joshua will wage war against several Ammonite kings. The goal of these two women was to preserve and propagate their own line. Surely we can understand that no one wants to be the end of their family line or even the human race. It is clear that this is foremost on their minds as they hide from death and destruction in the mountains and caves. In this circumstance personal survival is not enough; survival of the species becomes a much more important issue. In this post-apocalyptic world hiding in the caves is not a long term solution. But what will happen when they come out of the caves? How do you go forward and rebuild a destroyed crumbling world?

In conclusion let’s consider two major points and one summary of what we can possibly learn from this post-apocalyptic “morality play.”

First, one should not expect people who lived most if not all of their lives in the most immoral cities in the history of human kind to make what would be regarded as traditionally acceptable moral and ethical decisions. They had lived among Sodomites and were married to Sodomites, why would they not act like Sodomites? Dare we suggest that to expect them to act any differently would be sheer foolishness on our part? When placed in stressful or difficult situations people will respond as they have been programmed or conditioned to respond. Or to quote from the movie "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," “they will respond as with all things, according to their gifts.” Consider, then the possibility that this is exactly why Lot’s daughters responded the way they did. Remember that Lot and his daughters had to be forcibly removed from Sodom. They had lived there so long that they did not know any other way to react. Their response was in keeping with cultural and social norms of the people with whom they identified.

Second, it is an interesting side bar (a story within the story) that a future Moabite woman named Ruth would become one of the progenitors of Jesus. This Moabite is an important and pivotal woman in the history of the redemption of mankind. God is able in all circumstances to accomplish his purpose, his will. This in no way justifies the solution that Lot’s daughters came up with to preserve and perpetuate the species, yet it does reveal to us the sovereignty of God in all things. In fact we should feel no need or desire to justify their behavior; however, we should recognize the potential for failure when deeply flawed human beings are tested by adversity.
In a post-apocalyptic world where hopelessness rules the day, hope will reign only through the sovereignty of and solutions provided by a loving and merciful God. We live in a world where death and destruction rains down around us like fire from heaven. We inhabit a broken world where adversity is a constant companion and our character is being tested and tempered in the white hot furnace of struggle. The only question that remains to be answered is how we will respond to these events.

Surrounded by death and destruction the survivors must recognize and acknowledge that God alone can breathe life into the dying, decaying corpse of a post-apocalyptic world. It is a transcendent God who transforms death into life and creates a new world full of hope out of the hopelessness and helpless remains. It is God who exhales upon the dying embers, breathing the divine breath (Holy Spirit) to ignite the coals into life. In such a hopeless situation consider the arrival of a child named “Ben-Ammi” meaning “son of my people.” The birth of a son named Moab, father of a nation and from whom a woman named Ruth will be born. This daughter of Moab (Ruth) will be a mother in the line that will not only save Israel but provide salvation for the entire human species. Consider this post-apocalyptic twist on the redemption of a ragged, ragtag remnant rising from the ashes of the blacken charred remants of a destroyed world. It is from the decaying carcass of the old world that a new vibrant bright and shining world will emerge. The Phoenix will rise from the ashes to soar into the heavens taking its place among the stars.

In summation I submit the following proposition; Jesus is the answer for a broken world. Jesus is the only real hope for a hopeless people. Jesus brings healing to a fractured, beaten and scared humanity. Jesus is God’s solution for the post-apocalypse (just read the Apocalypse of John also know as Revelation). “And behold I saw a new heaven and a new earth coming down out of heaven.” This new world will not be reconstructed in some humanistic attempt by mankind to lift himself up by his bootstraps. It will be the direct result of the restoration and redemption of human kind by the creator of the universe who will recreate us in the image of his beloved son Jesus Christ. This post-apocalyptic vision is the final revelation.

Bob Phillips

A POST-MODERN ELECTION

Over the past thirty years grassroots activism has been fundamental to as well as an integral part of my life. A true believer that we could make things better. I volunteered my service in a variety of roles such as, precinct chairman, county chairman, election judge and campaign chairman for various local, state and national candidates.

However, after more than twenty years of activism the last few years (about 5) have been marked more by apathy than activism and disillusionment over dedication. Having said this, one might conclude that this post is being written with a heavy dose of skepticism and cynicism. I will admit that this is most likely true.

A recent CBS News poll found that 70% of Americans believe that Obama holds the same values as they do. The same poll found that 66% believe that McCain holds the same values as they do. Clinton was at 44%. The margin of error if plus or minus 4%. When one considers the margin for error then, the two leading candidates are dead even.

One wonders how this can be true when the two leading candidates positions appear to be opposite one another. These two men are diametrically opposed on almost every issue. How can these polls be correct? How can the American people hold such obviously contradictory positions?

I would suggest that the answer to these questions is not to be found in analyzing the candidates but the electorate. Post-modernism has become such a dominate philosophy in the last ten years that this may be truly the first post-modern election in the nations history. It is a post-modern electorate that is evaluating the candidates based upon how they feel about the candidates rather than the logical evaluation of the candidates positions. Logic in the traditional or historical context does not enter into the post-modern point of view.

This may be most true of Obama who has never clearly defined his plans or programs. He always speaks in generalities, yet the electorate in mass believe his ideas to be more like theirs than the other candidate. He speaks of change but what that means is left up to each individual to determine for himself. He is about show business (flash) and style rather than substance. Yet, a post-modern electorate is certain that it knows exactly what he stands for and believes.

In the interest of fairness McCain may not have the flash or appeal of Obama but, his positions are not clearly defined either. His positions seem to change from day to day and place to place. The only one that seems consistent is his position on the war in Iraq. Where he stands on most issues is determined by how the electorate feels about him as a person. Which is connected to his status as a prisoner of war and the things he endured and overcame during that time.

Clinton's poll numbers can be understood by what is commonly pointed out by the media. This is the fact that for some reason a majority of Americans simply dislike Clinton. Which is in itself a very post-modern point of view. It is a subjective and emotional evaluation rather than objective and logical.

In the final analysis, we will in this election get the elected officials we deserve (majority rules) just as we do every election year. Before the next four years are over there will be a significant number of the members of the electorate who will be displease with the choice that was made. A post-modern electorate will be dissatisfied with the post-modern election.

Is my cynicism and skepticism showing?

Bob

"A Long Walk Home" #5

Let us consider that any attempt at duplicating the New Testament church today would simply be restoring a poor imitation of the original, unless one restores the spirit of thing. The restoration of any specific church spoken of in the New Testament would be to restore a pale imitation of the ideal. The ideal church is one which Jesus desires his followers to seek. The ideal is a journey and not a destination.

There were no perfect churches during the First Century nor have there been any throughout the centuries, up to and including the current one. There is an ideal that no church in history has attained or achieved. Every church is comprised of imperfect individuals redeemed by the sacrifice of the "one and only son of God." This redeemed community should be a redemptive community.

It is this essence of the original, which gives it its substance and prevents it from being an ethereal apparition devoid of any real heart and soul. Nevertheless, the Spirit of Christ living in the individual members of the body of Christ will create a living; functioning, vibrant, giving, caring and sharing body like the one called for by the New Testament. While it will not be a perfect replica of the ideal in worship or service it, will bear its essence, nature and character because it is filled with its spirit and that Spirit is the Spirit of Christ.

Will this path leads home? Finding this elusive course is difficult. It is, nevertheless, this path that each of us should desire, that is to say, all those who wants to be a Christian like the ones who walked with Jesus. It is this simple, earnest faith that calls out to the soul set free by the blood of Jesus. Everyone who seeks to be shaped by the amazing, unfathomable grace of God will be moving in the direction of the Spirit of God.

Isaiah speaks of the joy of the redeemed and streams in the desert in chapter 35. He continues to tell of a highway that will be called the "Way of Holiness," and only the "redeemed will walk there." It is along this path that we hear the lonesome cry of a lost soul wandering across the desert of despair, seeking the golden city, the Zion of God. It is on this highway that we hear the echoes of the mournful sound from quivering lips, a woeful lament with tears stained cheeks and blood red eyes, whispering “Jerusalem, Oh! New Jerusalem,” holy city of God.

It is the challenge that faces this deeply flawed follower of Jesus. This is the yearning of the heart set free. It is a longing for a simple New Testament fellowship whose worship and service flows from a personal spiritual relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Would not the realization of a fellowship like this in our time, be at least in some measure, the restoration of New Testament Christianity?

Where, oh where can a redemptive community like this be found? The search and the journey continues for this one lonely and deeply flawed traveler. Which direction do I go or path shall I follow?

Bob

"A Long Walk Home" #4

There is also, one might suggest, a fundamental flaw in the vision of a more perfect version of Christianity that is simply locked away somewhere in the past and awaiting the discovery by honest seekers. Going back in time even if one can find the path, is a difficult if not impossible task. The lament of the atomic age and often heard refrain is, “it is impossible to put the genie back in the bottle.” The same could be said of any quest to restore primitive Christianity.

Trying to separate fact from fiction about past events and practices is fraught with its own unique, difficult and dangerous perils. It is difficult not to view the past through the “rose colored glasses” of historical traditions or current practices. These current practices and historical traditions that have almost become a part of our religious genome. We all quite simply run the risk of becoming prisoners locked away and confined behind the bars of our own practices and presuppositions.

If the way forward for a Christ centered community can be found in finding a way back to a simpler Christ centered life how are we to find this path? Is it possible then that the path to this Christ centered life can be found only by an inward journey? This solitary journey by individuals seeking to be more Christ like, must be a journey into the heart and life of God. It must begin with an inner transformation, a Spiritual Direction which begins on the inside and is fully seen on the outside, in ones life.

For the church the way back to New Testament Christianity would be found in each person’s own personal spiritual journey. It is a walk in the Son. The course that is charted by keeping one eyes on the “bright and morning star.” It is a transcendent and transforming event accomplished only by the living presence of Jesus Christ. This course, to a more Christ like life, must be a Christological walk led by the Spirit into the heart of God.

This path if followed, would be a truly life altering and spiritually transforming journey. Let me suggest that is only a truly transformed people who will produce transformed churches. Restoring, recreating or transforming churches without first restoring, recreating and transforming lost, broken human beings would seem to be an impossible task.

We were created to be social creatures, called to live in community. Scripture clearly points this out as early in human history as the garden of Eden. However, we do not enter the kingdom as a community we enter as individuals and (added by God) become members of a redeemed community (the body of Christ). Should restoration begin with an attempt to recover or redeem a flawed institution or to recover lost sheep and redeem lost souls.

Each member of the body must serve its own unique function for the good of the entire body. Also, it should be noted that, the members do not derive their life or purpose from the body (each other) but from the head. The body derives its identity from the head not from individual parts (members). The members uphold and support each other and a structure for support and growth but not the life force.

When the primary relationship (the one with Christ) is in tact then the secondary relationships (that with each other) should be healthy, holy, healing and hopeful. This transformation does not begin with the community. It begins with the individual and ends with a transformed community. It is not the restoration of an institution, pattern or system, but rather the restoration and redemption of the organism known as the "Body of Christ."

It is only a transformed people who can accomplish the mission of becoming a truly transformed community.It is this community of redeemed individuals who are committed to continuing the mission of Jesus Christ. That it is a continuing mission is revealed by Luke in the Book of Acts when he writes of his first book about, “what Jesus began to do and to teach”). This continuing mission was carried on by a hand full of flawed followers of Jesus.

It has been a continuing mission throughout the ages as men and women of faith have boldly gone where those of faith have gone before. This mission is to seek out the lost and share a message of hope and restoration with all people wherever they may be found. This was true of the mission in the first century and it remains true in this or any future century. We become missional by embracing and embodying the mission not by our buildings, programs, other self-centered indulgences or ventures of self-absorption. Then, we share in the life of Christ we share the continuing and on going mission of Jesus Christ.

This idea and vision of restoration is predicated upon the assumption that New Testament Christianity is more about the nature, character and essence of being Christian than it is about the forms, functions and mechanics of doing church. If this presupposition is even remotely correct, then our corporate spiritual destination will be determined and dictated by our personal Spiritual Direction.

When a Spiritual Direction becomes the goal and reality, every relationship and fellowship will be founded upon and determined by the primary and ultimate relationship. That is to say the beginning and end of all relationships, the one with God almighty the giver and sustainer of life. When we are moving in the direction of Christ, when the Spirit of God guides our path, even though we are imperfect, we will be continuing and restoring the mission of the early church.

Could this be what it means to be a redeemed, restored and transformed follower of Christ and community?

Bob

A Long Walk Home #3

"Mercy Lord!"

What appears to have been lost in all of this is the essence of or original spirit of Christianity. What does it mean to be a follower of Christ? What is the character of this faith that has been entrusted to us? What is the spirit of the thing? “This thing of ours.” This thing of which we are apart called Christianity, and which they called “the way.” Is it even possible to find our way back to a simpler way? Is it possible for an imperfect people to perfectly, practice any form of religion? Is there a way back that leads forward? It would be presumptuous even arrogant of this writer to assume a special insight or knowledge that would permit him too perfectly answer these questions.

These questions (as well as many others) are simply the product of a personal journey along the rough and rugged “way of the cross.” The old hymn says, “The way of the cross that leads home.” It often feels as if home has become increasingly farther away and more difficult to find. Home has become a faint dream, a longing, a mist, a cloud which any attempt to grasp is like trying to hold water in ones hands. It is a struggle at times to remember the warmth and welcome of that place called home. The journey home is the road toward Eden (the garden which God created), the paradise of God. It is still the way of the cross, which for Jesus was a path of suffering, betrayal and agony and must be much the same for his followers.

During military Basic Training (Boot Camp) there was an obstacle course that the recruits were required to complete before graduation. The powers that be renamed this course, “the confidence course.” It was thought that every time one completed the course it would instill confidence in the recruits. Changing the name did not change the fact that there were obstacles to over come on the course. This is also true of the “way of the cross” it matters little how one may try to recast it, the path is filled with pit falls, pot holes, struggles and even the possibility of death. To attempt to remove or even rename these would be to remove the power, nature and essence of the “Way of the Cross.” To remove the pain, suffering and Christ’s destiny with death on the cross would be to “empty it of its glory.” Should we expect an easier course than that of our Savior?

This personal journey has become more complicated (which seems to be the nature of life). The road chosen (“the road less traveled”) has been fraught with obstacles, detours, distractions and failures. With each halting, hesitating, stumbling and difficult step, one is forced to be more dependent upon grace. Compelled by some irresistible urge, a force beyond comprehension forcing this lost one to cry out for mercy. Acknowledging the truth and reality found in a verse from a recent Christian song which says, “When I could not reach mercy, mercy came a running." These are the prayers, petitions, yearnings and cries of a deeply flawed follower of the one who is “the way.” One who hopes beyond all hope that these cries will be heard by a merciful God.

Finding the correct path continues to be a mystery of epic proportions. The way ahead is shrouded in the fog of uncertainty, doubt and fear. It is gloomy haze filled with enemies, traps and pitfalls which threaten to envelop, engulf and imprison a tortured soul who has lost his way. Sometimes the simple nudging of The Spirit reveals the path. Floating like a feather on the wind, a gentle breeze as if it were blown by the breath of God. At other junctures the course is forced upon one like a blacksmith forging iron and hammering it out on his anvil. Is this reality or simply the melancholia of a man battered, beaten and bruised by the journey? The questions and doubts remain, a raging storm in an over active mind. In this too is his doubt and uncertainty revealed which calls for more grace and mercy.

It is said, “You cannot go home again.” The path behind is a fading memory often shrouded in euphoria and nostalgia. For, in truth all the fondness and joy found in remembering the "good old days" or "happy days" can often be attributed simply to selective memory loss. Maybe, just maybe, the only way forward is backward and the only way backward is inward. How do you go back when you cannot find your way? How do you chart a true course when you are lost and alone and surrounded by enemies? What is the correct direction when you have made too many bad choices, ethical compromises, and followed so many dead end trails? How do you find your way when being lost has become a way of life, but not one to be desired? This is like the lyric's of a song, "the night life ain't no good life, but it's my life," is the unfortunate reality in which I live.

This current dilemma is a bitter tasting medicine that requires "just a spoon full of sugar to help the medicine go down." Only the great physician has the prescriptions for this ailment. The journey home, the search for restoration is so intensely painful and deeply personal for this broken man that that he cannot help but reveal and lay bare his tortured soul. Restoration is a course to charted, a way to be followed, a desire of the heart and a grace to be received.

To be continued.....
Bob

A LONG WALK HOME #2

In nineteenth century America the plea to be Christian’s only, rapidly degenerated into debates, dialogues, and discussions about how to accomplish this goal. These interactions tended to focus upon forms and functions that would ultimately determine fellowship between humans. The mechanics and mechanisms of doing church right overshadowed being church (the incarnate body of Christ in the world today). They were heavily influenced by at least one spirit of the age (western philosophy and age of rationalism of which they were a part). They could no more escape their philosophical moorings (worldview) than we can ours.

One must also admit that the heirs of this “movement” (this writer included) are connected to and influenced by these same philosophical shackles. There influence is felt in both the adherence to their ideals and reaction to the conclusions drawn by this philosophy. This influence can also be seen in much of the self-help literature and religious literature of modern American culture. Success in both secular and religious circles means following the right pattern. The “Better you” or the Good Life is a result of the steps you take or to be more accurate the things you do. It is all about formulas and formats to achieve the American Dream.

Success is to be found in following the proper formulas. Happy marriages or raising “good” children is simply a result of following the correct procedures. One wonders about the damage done and the guilt that people continue to carry around when they follow the steps and fail to achieve the promised results? What happens if your children do not become Christians or even model citizens? What happens when marriages fail among good church going people and divorce results? It would be worse than naive to assert that these things never happen among us. Statistics show that the divorce rate among professing Christians is almost identical to that of the population in general.

In this environment then it is a short jump, a simple journey, to an Americanized form of Christianity. This type of Christianity looks and sounds the same as the self-help and success message that dominates so much of the literature of our culture. This form of Christianity is all about doing the right things, saying the right things all in the right way. This is indicative of the Christianity that is practiced by many if not most Americans.

In this “Brave new World” of our own creation we give little more than lip service grace and mercy. While we cry out in mournful tones to God for an extra measure of his mercy and grace, we so often deny the crumbs of grace and mercy to our fellow man. This writer pleads guilty as charged on this account. As a lost and tortured soul he desire, like a man dying of thirst longs for a sip of water to wet his parched lips, a second or even third chance. Yet, he demands a demonstration from others, evidence and proof that they have truly repented before granting even a teaspoon of the grace and mercy they need the most.

There is the presumption of some special, unique blessing upon America by God. In this culture, Americanism and Western Philosophy has become synonymous with Christianity. American Christianity seems to believe that it truly has a “Manifest Destiny.” It is doubtful that the disciples of Jesus would recognize much of what is presented as Christianity. In a society where happiness seems to have become the greatest virtue of all, it is only natural the preaching of a prosperity and feel good gospel is on the menu, and is the food for far too many lost sheep.

For a civilization where obesity has reached epidemic proportions (because we have sated our hunger on sweets, fast food, fats and a generaly unhealthy diet) is it any wonder that the menu in our churches would become filled with “junk food” rather than the “bread of life.” Dare I be so bold as to propose that the church in America’s twenty-first century is not unlike the church in Laodicea of the first century, who claimed to be rich but were really "poor, wretched, blind and naked?”

To be continued.....
Bob

A LONG WALK HOME #1

"A Walk In The Son"

The principle of a simple faith and fellowship like that of Jesus and his followers one would hope is universally appealing to Christians. Therefore, let us begin with the proposition that after a history of nearly 200 years, the restoration movement in America is still a noble and worthwhile plea. Also at least in concept, the plea for returning to the simple Christianity of the New Testament is a legitimate goal. Then, let us postulate that the problem lies is not in the plea for a simple New Testament Christianity, but in the practice of it. To paraphrase Shakespeare, “the trouble lies not in our stars, but in ourselves.” This would appear to be a good place to start a dialogue on this subject. Let us start with the idea that the problem with us is me.

This writer is well aware, however, that these statements belie certain prejudices and presuppositions. While these opinions are not unique to the writer, they may not accurately reflect those of all the readers. Agreement or disagreement with these presuppositions should not preclude the readers from finding something of interest and maybe of value in this writing. This is an effort at full disclosure. It is the writers attempt to completely honest and forthright with the readers from the beginning.

In reality, while Jesus lived and practiced what we have come to know as Christianity perfectly, his followers did not, nor do those who profess him (his disciples) even to this day. Jesus selected twelve men to be his closest followers and he entrusted them with his continuing mission. That mission was to seek out new civilizations, new people and be his witnesses (present testimony on the death, and resurrection of Jesus). That he left this mission in the hands of deeply flawed individuals is beyond question. Yet, one must understand that this too is fundamental to the mission. It would seem apparent that he never intended or expected perfection in the practice of our faith. The key concept then is that of practice. This is not unlike Medical Doctors who have a license to “practice medicine,” we merely practice Christianity.

It would appear therefore, that there is a fundamental flaw in attempting the restoration of New Testament Christianity. Or at least this writer would suggest that there is a fundamental flaw. This flaw would be the assumption that some perfect pattern can be perfectly replicated by imperfect people during this or any era. An exact duplication of first century Christianity in the nineteenth, twentieth or even twenty-first century would seem to be an insurmountable if not an impossible task.

I realized after sitting down to write on this subject that it was much to long to put in one post, so I choose to divide it into several smaller post.

More to come later....

Bob

NECESSITY

“Martha, Martha, …You are troubled and upset about many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42

In the interesting if not, somewhat forgettable movie “Three Kings” Major Archie Gates (George Clooney) asks his co-conspirators a simple, yet profound question. He says, “What is the most important thing?” One soldier (a sergeant) says, “respect,” Gates replies, “too dependant upon other people.” The second soldier (a private) says, “Love.” Gates sarcastically says, “a bit too Disney Land don’t you think.” His staff Sargent says, “The will of God.” Archie say, “close, but the most important thing is necessity.” According to Gates, a person will of necessity, do what is in his own self-interest at any given time. One must admit that this sounds a just slightly cynical.

His philosophy seems to work well initially. That is until the confrontation forces him to make the choice of driving away with millions in gold, or preventing the murder of an entire village. In good dramatic fashion, he chooses the latter. He is as asked by Sargent Troy, “what happened to necessity?” To which he responds, “It just changed.” His self-interest did not change, for they still take the gold.

An old expression says, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” However, it seems to this writer that there is broader question to be considered. How does one determine necessity? Archie Gates defines necessity as whatever happens to be in his own self-interest. This sounded good in theory. However, when the reality of life and death became the choice, and it was not even his own life or death but that of the innocent, then necessity changed. In this case, self-interest gave way to what merely appears to be the interest of others.

This behavior is typical of existential and humanistic philosophies. Those whose foundation is built upon ones self-interest. He could no longer feel good about himself if he left those people to die. Gates, in good humanistic fashion comes to a compromise. He takes the villagers and the gold. Necessity in this circumstance is still based upon self-interest, with just the token appearance of compassion and mercy. They still take the gold and continue to try to find a way to keep it.

What if we, however, consider the possibility that necessity is not doing what is in ones own self-interest. What if just for the sake of discussion, necessity is rooted in the interest of God not self-interest. The only problem left to solve in this new equation is what is God’s interest? A difficult question, but one would hope not one that is insurmountable. Can one redefine necessity in this way?

As Shakespeare said, “there is the rub.” Since humans are now and have always been singularly self-absorbed and always looking out for their own self-interest they tend to super impose their own interest in most circumstances. They frequently call it the will (interest) of God. Human beings it seems often find the need to reinterpret God’s will in view of ones self-interest. It is a simple matter to rewrite the story or reprogram the computer to achieve the desired results, which we redefine as necessity.

In the absence of a clear, audible voice telling us the specific will of God, we extrapolate, infer, insinuate and formulate what the will of God is in a given circumstance. This is done in whole or part simply based upon fragments, bits and pieces of information, our own self-interest and of course the ultimate test of God’s will, prayer (it is amazing to me how often the answer to our prayers are what we longed and hoped for all along). We conjure from this steaming cauldron the unseen forces and spirits to divine as if by magic the will of God.

In the end satisfied by such glorious visions, we give it the stamp of approval overwhelmingly certain it is the God’s will. A new preacher. New leadership. A new (“Better”) you. The blessing of financial prosperity. A new facility. A new program. A new husband or wife. A new job in a new town. How much of it is little more than Archie Gates interpretation of necessity (self-interest)? In the end they all get what they want and live happily ever after. That is after all the American Dream. Which we all know is synonymous with the teaching of Christ, isn’t it? This is the message we hear from the pulpits of this nation on “any given Sunday.”

Invention becomes the mother of necessity. In our self-fulfilling prophecy, we do what is in our own self-interest out of necessity (we say). We frequently do this because we believe, truly believe it is in God’s interest. And so we discover the power and weakness of belief. It is belief that proclaims the existence of God and the rejection of the existence of God. Belief creates activist and pacifist, the martyrs and the indifferent, the militants and the apathetic. In this environment, belief determines necessity. We rewrite the story and call it God’s story. We are true believers. We believe and that belief becomes Necessity.

Bob

"THE WINGS OF THE MORNING"

“The Wings of the Morning.”

(Psalms 139:9 & Isaiah 40)

Gracefully he arises on the wings of the morning,
Soaring with the sun across the burnished amber sky,
He floats upon the majestic heights of the heavenly unknown,
Lost a midst the unseen wonders and cotton candy clouds,
He glides, a disembodied spirit on the breath of God,
Spirited away to the ecstatic vistas of the azure blue.

Resurrected in the shimmering dawn a mythical Phoenix,
Rocketing forth from the mortuary of broken dreams,
Reaching out from the soot and ash of a smoldering world,
Walls breached, bridges broken, gates burnt, the city in ruins,
Restore, renew, rebuild, redeem, rescue, arising from the twilight,
Comfort rides on the wings of the morning.

Salvation jets o’er the horizon on the wings of the morning,
He cries my name, howling in the wind of transformation,
Whisper to me in the hushed, halting tones a lover to his beloved,
Honey sweet lyrics flow o’er pomegranate lips, dripping from the tongue,
The creative word, alive and vibrant reinvigorates a tortured soul,
He descends with his reward from the infinite reaches of space,
Deliverance arrives on the wings of the morning.

Bob