Jesus Pattern Son

You CAN ask.. the Lord… and get an answer. Now that is really good news. Unlike the “you can ask” I got from some woman, when it was evident both that I knew and that I could NOT ask the authorities…. who didn’t know, showed that… and thus would have been highly insecure and offended and dangerous for being “asked’!  But this, no, this is a revelation. I got it from some guy teaching Sunday school. He asked God about his walk with the Lord! How wonderful!

In so many situations, we need direction. And who can give it to us? The Lord God is the one who knows. The Lord God Holy Spirit is the one sent to teach us. Let’s ask!

HalleluJah!

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Finishing up our series on what the Bible has to say about government, let’s talk about this new idea, 7-mountains. The basic concept is also called, in different circles, “the cultural mandate.”  Given the perspective of those I know, this is an important topic to discuss when we consider how we should interface with society and with government. So often, conservative Christians,  pentecostals especially, and women, just thought they should stay out of politics. By contrast, some fundamentalist Baptists or conservative Reformed folks seem to hold political views co-terminus with theology. Both groups have, in my hearing, questioned this 7 Mountain Mandate talk. On the other hand, my Spirit-filled educated friends are thrilled with the opening of the door to application of Christian life, of Spirit, and of Bible, to all of life. They often felt stifled and hemmed in in the lower middle class perspective of separation defined as not getting involved, and simply staying quiet in a corner.

I can hear people get offended as I state this clearly and precisely. Read it again. Admit it. The upper middle class, mainline folks were in charge of civics and politics in the 1950s and 1960s. Since then, increasingly the secularist and socialists have been in ascendancy. But in the ’50s and ’60s, conservative Christians eschewed both education and civic involvement. With the advent of the charismatic movement more educated people joined these churches and adopted this theology. That portion of the church expanded its market share steadily. At the same time, these churches, along with their SES segments, experienced great economic growth.

In this century, however, growth slowed, and communists (meaning authoritarian socialists) arose to prominence in the marketplace of ideas as in politics. Socialism took a stronger hold in the mainline churches. The most conservative churches split off, but struggled for direction, carrying with them more leftest ideas than they realized. At the same time, pentecostal churches fell back into their ways. Word of Faith continued to grow and are a home for middle class pentecostal/charismatics. The upper middle class tended to search for a home mostly in the Apostolic and Prophetic movements, precisely the sector most likely to accept the 7 Mountain Mandate. Why? because they needed faith direction for vocation and civic engagement.

Then, the question arose: is this Biblical? Because neither of the two promoters of the 7 Mountain Message are either theologians or professional sociologists (tho both have in-depth Bible knowledge, and tremendous practical insight (one in management and the other I judge as a pastoral sociologist) — and both have a great following among business and government leaders — no apologia has been made. Detractors have popped up. So, here is the answer: yes: The 7 Mountain Message is Biblical and theologically orthodox.

Listen, and I will tell  you why.

While the last post was about 10 days late because of technical issues with uploading to the podcast platform, this episode is about a month early. Normally, this would be our June installment of our study on what the Bible says about government and politics. However, coincidentally, Johnny and Elizabeth Enlow have been able to publish their long-awaited documentary. So, since I had this made, and was successful at getting it uploaded, I decided to go ahead and publish it.

Recommended: https://www.restore7.tv/biggodmovie/

Other links/background

https://lancewallnau.com/category/7-mountains/

Hmm, although posting more links always helps ranking, I think I will refrain from embarrassing the recent detractors.

Also, although I have in the past spent A LOT of time posting links to books in Amazon.com, since I can no longer shop there because I will not tolerate the forcing of Prime, alas. Anyway, both Wallnau and the Enlow s have books. Enjoy.

addition: Oh! Lance posted mention of “dominionism” today:

https://rumble.com/v41yqcz-the-religious-spirit-is-a-real-thing-and-its-fighting-the-next-revival.html?e9s=rel_v1_b

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Here is a new perspective on the Government of God, different from what we were used to hearing in “The Move of God.” I think it is more in line with growing to maturity that what we have heard, and a good deal less tyrannical.

The government of God is aimed at being primarily self-governance, directly under God, through the Holy Spirit. The more self governance one has, the less family government one needs, and the more family government one has, the less church government one needs, and it all of that is working well, then one needs very little civil government indeed.

Notice, that this is different from other systems. One would put church government over all, substituting themselves even for God. Another would put civil government overall, again substituting themselves over all. This is upside down. And evil.

This was constructed for the sonship discussion, but may be useful for anyone interested in topics relating to Bible and government.

The post The Government of God appeared first on Jesus Pattern Son.

Today, we work through the story in Acts 20. These are Paul’s last words to the leaders in Ephesus, telling them how to be good leaders. Indeed, Ephesus was then, and remained, a very important congregation, not only in a large city, but also having very influential leadership.

This message was quickened to me. In my usual morning reading, I noticed what Paul had to say to the leaders at Ephesus. He was in a hurry, but took time to see them. He called them to travel to come to see him. (Remember, no cars back then.) He had something important to tell them. He would not see them again. So, what did he tell them? He told them how to be good leaders, pointing out his own example. Strong words and sweet.

Let’s go through them together.

The post Paul’s Last Word to Leaders in Ephesus About how to be Good Leaders appeared first on Jesus Pattern Son.

I heard a couple of factually wrong, if insignificant things from the pulpit. I thought that was pretty funny (because I assumed that everyone in the story was highly literate in Bible stories), so I mentioned those, rather than answer the question about whether I enjoyed the convention. It was a smug question based on a prideful assumption, of course, and I was dodging it, of course.  So, I brought up something quite amusing — I thought. Then, I was told, well I could ask about my confusion. WHAT?!?!?!? Wow! Now I was completely exasperated and still trying to “make nice.”

Seriously, how likely is it that I could, even if I had wanted to, ask about something preached in a sermon? Especially a mistake? Right. (All chuckle together.)

But wait, there was more. The sermon under question, actually was about not being able to discuss, argue, or even talk about it. Now, the speaker might deny it, but only uselessly, because while it did wander wide and long, and get tied up with a mention of the first point, I actually did hear it. I understood it.  Not just pretending.  I heard the offhand comment that “Jesus penned letters to the churches and sent them by angelic messengers.”  And I also heard and understood the main body and various points. You see, revelation is pnuemenal, we were told, and so really, we must always forget everything we knew, and…. follow along blindly, without questioning . We all know all this patter so well we are asleep, I know. Maybe this is why no one actually hears what is said?  This time, the innovation was to use the words phenomenal (meaning in the world of sense) and pnuemenal (in the world of spirit). Well, perhaps I was the one in the room who had been over this ground before, so let me let you in on it. Yes, spiritual experience is pnuemenal. And application is and always must be phenomenal.  But talking about revelation… well, in order to be communicated in human language (a phenomenal event)… then revelation must be communicated in propositional form. Truth is propositional. (Very big, discussion of this in seminaries and graduate schools for a very long time. This whole dodge of saying, well since experience is pnuemenal, then revelation is, and therefore you can’t argue with me… has been done before. No, if you are a human communicating to other humans, you have to talk language, and therefore you are constrained to be logical — assuming you want to communicate.  However, if you want to dodge things like questions (and heavens challenges! unthinkable!!!!), then you might just try the old big word trick and try to get beyond propositional truth. That was exactly what was going on.

So, no, I could not ask. That was the point of what was preached.

Even though, we should ask. Each of us is required to ask. The Bible says so. But all of us know and have known for decades that blind obedience to ever changing direction is exactly the only thing that will be tolerated.

So, maybe my sweet interlocutor just could not hear what was said, or didn’t understand it. And clearly the speaker could not see the clock, for at one point he peered, hard, to see what time it was. But, I don’t think there was any clock in that direction. Never mind about that agreement, or that gosh we would have like to have heard who was supposed to be next. But I heard, and I knew the point was : we were not permitted to ask, such an elite…. aaaaaa  right (not).

Now, all of this would just be funny…. except in context it shows the degradation and bankruptcy, if not the debauchery of what still flickers of The Move of God. Ten years ago, there were embers. Today, only the last flickers of those embers remain. There is still hope that their lieutenants who left long ago will come back. I even heard a mention that maybe someone “out there” would want to come to ask how something could be done. The hope is progress, no matter how ridiculously unlikely.

My aim is not to ridicule, not at all. My aim is to bring some Truth, some life; and therefore necessary repentance. Only because my love is great. My tears are real. I dearly wish the embers could be stirred, life could be brought back, and some salvage made. However, I worked for that ten years ago, maybe too quietly, but at every turn I saw poor decisions, poor choices. Choices for comfort, for power, and now… for nothing short of insanity.

While there is today, there is repentance. Please make better choices.

The post You Can Ask… Well, Actually Not… Even Though Maybe you Should appeared first on Jesus Pattern Son.

Light of the world — the whole world.  Gentiles, women, and what it all means for today.

The story of the Macabeean revolt, the miracle of the oil in the “candlestick” in the holy place, freedom and continuation of civilization! Then Jesus proclaiming Himself the Light of the World. What it all means today: God meeting us in our dedication, fueling from Holy Spirit, and hope in dark times.

Rabbi Smith: What a non-Jew Can Do for Chanukah?

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This is the 3rd and last installment in our fullsome review of Erwin Lutzer’s Hitler’s Cross. In earlier episodes, we saw what Hitler’s intention way. He was being deception, pushing the church out of the picture. Most of the church cooperated. Some did not. They were called “The Confessing Church.” Many of those pastors couldn’t stay true once the Gestapo pressured them.

We talk about Neimoller and Bonhoeffer’s response. Neimoller went to the concentration camp, but was alive when the Allies liberated it. Bonhoeffer was executed weeks before Hitler died. What is so central about the Christian gospel that people would die for it?

Indeed, we are called to come and die. But those who lose their lives, find it. Those who saved it, lost it.

Let’s consider how this applies to us today. In similar situation.

No one more than those who aspire to being sons of God must think about this: both to avoid the fate of Hitler as well as to aspire to the fate of these saints who continued faithful to the confession of Jesus Christ.

https://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-Cross-Used-Promote-Agenda/dp/B0BQWX416F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11HQT4ZY69B04&keywords=hitler%27s+cross+erwin+lutzer&qid=1697326727&sprefix=lutzer+hitler%2Caps%2C270&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/When-Nation-Forgets-God-Lessons/dp/B09LRMW6DR/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2VGVZDKHZHTG1&keywords=lutzer&qid=1697326675&sprefix=lutzer%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-8

https://www.amazon.com/Bonhoeffer-Pastor-Martyr-Prophet-Spy/dp/B082DPN1KF/ref=sr_1_2?crid=31NGV79Y8K0O7&keywords=eric+metaxas&qid=1697326884&s=audible&sprefix=eric+met%2Caudible%2C137&sr=1-2

https://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-Cross-Used-Promote-Agenda/dp/B0BQWX416F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11HQT4ZY69B04&keywords=hitler%27s+cross+erwin+lutzer&qid=1697326727&sprefix=lutzer+hitler%2Caps%2C270&sr=8-1

The post The Churches’ Experience in Hitler’s Time : Losing or Finding Life appeared first on Jesus Pattern Son.

Continuing in our review of Erwin Lutzer’s Hitler’s Cross, we cover how Hitler lied to the church, made deals promising religious freedom for political support, but private said he intended to completely shut down churches. The state could dedicate babies and make holidays! He appeared to be a Roman Catholic but was really practicing occultism. Most churchmen went along.

Here what Lutzer says, and a little by James Dobson and R. Rushdoony.

I think you will make many connections with what is going on today. Don’t be a church leader who makes similar mistakes.

The post Hitler Takes Power, Lied to the Church, Diminished Freedoms appeared first on Jesus Pattern Son.

I am reviewing Edward Lutzer’s book Hitler’s Cross. In this episode I simply establish what was going on in Germany and with Hitler as the Third Reich began.

I will let you pretty much draw your own conclusions. I think it is a shame we don’t study history. Indeed, in The Move, we didn’t have any political opinions according to Sam Fife. It offered some peace – at that time. Now, while I don’t think it is a great idea to perseverate on what the devil is doing, I think it helps discernment and intelligent action to know a little history — and made comparisons. Or contrasts. And not be sucked into being triggered. Enjoy.

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Whether you just want to learn more about the Passover pattern…

Whether you just want to know Jesus better…

Or if you want to know how the pattern is applying now,

This episode will do that for you. Passover is a pattern. Jesus fulfilled it. We are living in that pattern.

The gavel has come down. Decide now, quickly, if you want to be in Pharoah’s army, plunging into the Red Sea in order to catch and get their slaves back. Or, get in the house with the outline of the door in the blood of the lamb. There, the Lord protects you with his wings. Come.

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