Scott's Blog - 7/31/06

The Man and the Message

The famous Hollywood actor Steve McQueen was once quoted as saying, "Whatever you do, never trust anyone who makes their living pretending to be someone else."

It would seem Steve McQueen's warning has hit home in a major way. Over the weekend, Mel Gibson, celebrated in Christian circles for his self financed movie "The Passion of the Christ", was arrested for drunk driving. As if this wasn't bad enough, Gibson compounded the problem by verbally abusing the police officers who pulled him over. He then turned things up a notch by playing the race card in a shocking way.

Gibson drunkenly spewed at the arresting officers: "All the wars in the world are caused by Jews," and then asked the officer, "You a Jew?"

When "The Passion of the Christ" was released there was an outcry among members of the Jewish community that the movie was anti-Semitic. Christian leaders rallied to Gibson's side. The association and recommendation of well known names in the evangelical Christian community gave the impression that Gibson had transcended show business and was using his considerable gifts and resources as a spiritual leader.

And therein lies the rub.

What qualifies an individual to be a spiritual leader? A platform to reach millions? A proclamation of faith in Christ? The personal proceeds invested in what we would identify as a Christian cause?

Significantly, the Bible gives us an entirely different definition of a true spiritual leader.

1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (I Timothy 3:1-7)

The description of a spiritual leader, in this case a bishop, or more accurately an "overseer" of God's people is significant both for what it emphasizes and what it excludes.

The mark of a true spiritual leader is all about character. The person Paul describes is someone who has allowed God's love and truth to touch significant areas of life. In private and in public, in proclamation and in personal experience they are to be an example of a genuine believer inside and out.

But did you notice what Paul fails to mention? Competence. Prominence in the community. The resources to really get things done.

How interesting that often times we reverse the equation.

A popular singer tells of a conversion experience. Now we're cookin'! The world is going to be reached now that this performer is on our team!!

But what do we discover? 

The pressure of being a Christian in the public eye is immediately placed upon a person with a fledgling faith. I will never forget going to a concert where just such an individual was booed mercilessly when he refused to play the old songs anymore. Not long after, this "golden hope for the Gospel" began to bring back the old songs, abandon the new Christian songs, and eventually collapse as a witness for Christ.

The evidence of Christian character, worked upon a heart by the hand of God, verified over time is the proof positive of a leader God has truly raised up. But let's learn a lesson here ourselves. 

We do ourselves, the cause of Christ, and ultimately these shaky spiritual spokesmen no favors by throwing them into the battle too soon. Mel Gibson has issued statements of deep personal regret for his melt down.

Mel Gibson released a contrite statement through his publicist Saturday regarding his DUI arrest in Malibu early Friday morning.

“After drinking alcohol on Thursday night, I did a number of things that were very wrong and for which I am ashamed," the statement read. "(After) I was stopped by the L.A. County Sheriffs ... I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said, and I apologize to anyone who I have offended."

Gibson, 50, added in the statement, "I have battled the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse."

Let's pray that regret leads to a genuine healing that only Christ can bring to a heart.

But let's learn a lesson here ourselves. As blogger Megan Basham expressed it:

Christian fans who are already expressing devastation and dismay over the incident should remember, whatever details may come to light, no one need fear what they will do to Jesus’ reputation—surely the Holy Lord of the universe can handle his own P.R. And perhaps this should stand as a reminder that it is Christ and not some A-list actor/director, who is the head of the church. Anyone putting their faith in a mere mortal can be assured, eventually, in some way or another, they will be disappointed.

Scott's Blog - 7/28/06

Does God Want Your Money?

Let's open up the Scott Richards Live Mail Bag and tackle one of the most often asked questions we receive!

Dear Pastor Scott,
Thank you for allowing our questions.  What a wonderful service to both
believers and unbelievers!
I have a question that has been on my heart for about a month now.  It is
about tithing.
God calls us to tithe 10% of our income; the first 10% belongs to Him.  But
this is a huge struggle for me. Ten-percent is a lot of money for my family.
Currently, I'm juggling bills- robbing Peter to pay Paul.  I feel if I
tithe 10% I'd be robbing Paul to pay Christ one week and robbing Christ to
pay Peter the next week.  This can't be right.
Should I tithe 10% inconsistently, or pay less (such as $20 a paycheck)
consistently?
I truly want to give- and not due to guilt or anything- but I don't want to
be irresponsible to my family and have our car repossessed or our utilities
shut off.  In an attempt to give time, and less money, I have offered to
volunteer with the Church, but that was just not working.
Should I just give and have faith God will provide?  What if I can't afford
it?  Any suggestions?

Tracey

Thanks for bringing up such a practical and personally relevant issue Tracey. There are few issues that generate more confusion in Christian circles than the subject of giving. Grasping three New Testament principles can go a long way toward clearing up this crucial aspect of our walk with the Lord.

The Practice of Giving

Should believers be involved in a regular practice of giving? The Biblical answer is yes.

 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem. (I Corinthians 16:1-3)

In this passage we see three solid Scriptural guidelines for worshipping the Lord through our giving. 

Giving is to be predictable - The first day of the week (Sunday by Jewish reckoning) was the day that New Testament believers met for worship. Giving was to be as much a part of the normal Christian worship experience as prayer and the ministry of the Word.

Giving is to be pervasive - Notice that by the use of the phrase let each of you,  Paul emphasizes that all the members of the church should be involved in giving. Studies show that in the average fellowship no more than 30% of the people give on a regular basis. Giving isn't someone else's responsibility. It is a privilege that the Lord wants all His children to enjoy.

Giving is to be proportionate - God's people are to give individually, storing up as he may prosper. Giving isn't to be restricted to a legalistic standard. There will be times when we will be able to give more based on our circumstances. There will be other times when we will give less. It is not the amount, or the proportion God is concerned about, as much as the heart that accompanies the offering.

The Passion of Giving

The second aspect of giving that the Bible gives us has less to do with amounts, as much as attitude.

 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written:


      “ He has dispersed abroad,
      He has given to the poor;
      His righteousness endures forever.”

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,  while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. (II Corinthians 9:6-11)

True Biblical giving begins with the heart - True giving is an expression of love, not legalistic duty. Paul tells us to let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. If giving causes us to wince, roll our eyes, or mutter, "Oh, all right!", we have missed God's best for us. It is better not to give than to allow giving to become a source of bitterness and resentment in our lives. We need to check our hearts before we begin to write a check!

True Biblical giving produces a healthy sense of hope - There is an old expression, "You will never out give God." No one will ever give from a heart filled with love for God and His people who won't be blessed in return. But notice that God reserves the right to determine how we will be blessed. We will be enriched in everything for all liberality. God may bless us financially as we give. He may bless us relationally, giving us a greater sense of compassion for others. He may bless us spiritually, allowing us a greater insight into His own generous, gracious character. But when we give, we should give with a sense of excitement and expectancy, looking forward to how the Lord is going to reward our giving!

True Biblical giving produces a harvest - When we are involved in giving we place ourselves in a chain reaction of blessings that God bestows on His people. Our giving may make a difference in the lives of people we will never meet this side of heaven. But Heaven takes notice of their heartfelt thanksgiving they offer not only to the Lord, but also for those who share His heart.

The Precaution of Giving -

There are few areas of worship that yield more tangible results than being involved in regular giving. But there are a few pit falls in this area that we need to avoid.

Be sure to give to the Lord - This might sound really obvious, but it is a point a lot of people miss. If we are not careful we can find ourselves giving to a place, program or personality and lose sight of the Lord. 

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.  Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." (Matthew 6:1-4)

Be sure not to neglect solid scriptural stewardship - As Tracey's e-mail illustrates, many sincere Christians have left bills unpaid so they can give to the Lord. But we need to realize that God desires to see us take care of business in our personal obligations as well. 

 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;  and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;  that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing. (I Thessalonians 4:9-12)

It is pleasing to God when we give inside the church. But it is also pleasing when we have a solid testimony with those outside the church. That begins with paying our bills!

Be sure to avoid legalism - There are some who teach that unless we give a minimum of 10% of our income to God we won't be blessed (at best) or be cursed (at the worst). The concept of tithing is a decidedly Old Testament concept. In all the instructions we receive in the letters of Paul, Peter, John, James and Jude concerning giving the word "tithe" is never used. I believe that setting a 10% standard to shoot for in our giving is a good one, but it is not a commandment in the New Testament sense. I would hate to see someone who was prospered of the Lord cut off possibilities of expressing God's love tangibly because they had already hit their 10% for the month. In the same way, I would hate to see someone feel condemned and unworthy of God's blessing because they were unable to hit a10% figure for the month. If we look at giving as a "Get-to", not a "Got-to" we will be pleasing to the Lord and a blessing to others

As we give we receive the greatest blessing of all. We begin to practically share our heavenly Father's generous, gracious heart!

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (II Corinthians 9:15)

Scott's Blog - 7/27/06

"An Intercept From the Mind of God"

There are those who believe we go through life looking through a rear view mirror. There is no way to know what lies ahead. We can only try to make sense of what we have just left behind. 

But consider for a moment an intriguing possibility. What if God, Who dwells above and beyond time, has given us a heavenly heads up? 

This is precisely what the Bible claims to be.

 I am the LORD, that is My name;
      And My glory I will not give to another,
      Nor My praise to carved images.
      Behold, the former things have come to pass,
      And new things I declare;
      Before they spring forth I tell you of them." (Isaiah 42:8)

One in three verses we find in the Bible are devoted to predictive prophecy. Fulfilled prophecy tells us that the Author of the Scriptures is not only eternal, but all powerful. Over 104 specific prophecies were fulfilled at Jesus first coming. Significantly there are twice as many predictions yet to be fulfilled concerning Jesus' second coming. Those who are wise enough to get a grip on these predictions have a decided advantage in understanding where human history is heading.

Interestingly, in days like these, even the decidedly unspiritual among us are beginning to sit up and take notice of this perspective. Consider an interview conducted on CNN this week that quite frankly I never thought I would be around to see.

TRANSCRIPT: "APOCALYPSE NOW?"

(WASHINGTON, D.C., JULY 27, 2006) -- The following is a transcript from yesterday's segment entitled "Apocalypse Now?" on CNN's "Live From..." with anchor Kyra Phillips:

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN: So dig this. A man was bulldozing a bog in central Ireland the other day when he noticed something unusual in the freshly turned soil. It turns out he'd unearthed an early medieval treasure, an ancient Book of Psalms that experts date to the years 800 to 1000. Experts say it will take years to document and preserve this book, but eventually it will go on public display. Now here's the kicker: the book -- about 20 pages of Latin script -- was allegedly found opened to Psalm 83. Now, if you're a scholar, as you know [in] Psalm 83 God hears complaints that other nations plotting to wipe out the name of Israel. Well that's precisely the kind of news nuggets that would get the attention of my next guests -- a seemingly random event with an eerie coincidence to reality. Jerry Jenkins is in New York. Now along with Tim LaHaye, he co-authored the widely popular LEFT BEHIND series, only 63 million copies sold, by the way. Also joining me is Joel Rosenberg in Washington. He is the author of THE COPPER SCROLL, the latest of several apocalyptic novels. So, gentlemen, from books to blogs to the back pews, the buzz is all about the End Times. What do you think about the Book of Psalms. Is this going to be the next thing that both of you are going to write about?

JERRY JENKINS: That's an amazing news story. I hadn't heard it.

PHILLIPS: Really? OK, this is news to you, then.

JENKINS: It's some ways it's not terribly surprising. I think God finds ways of speaking to us and He does that through His Word. That's an incredible story, and it would probably have to be told in fiction form because people are going to find it hard to believe.

PHILLIPS: Well, Jerry, you've sold 63 million-plus books about the End Times. Why do think they have been so successful, and why did you decide to go that route? Why did you want to write about it?

JENKINS: Well, the idea for fiction about the End Times was really Dr. LaHaye's. He's a prophecy scholar and theologian. He's been studying this stuff longer than I've been alive. But he just had the idea that after writing several non-fiction books about the subject that if we could put it in a fiction format that more people would find it accessible and understandable and that's proven true. And because of the end of the millennium, and because of 9/11, and because of what's going on in the Middle East right now, people are scared to death about the future and I think they hear about books that are based on the prophecies of Scripture and it just intrigues them and makes them want to find out what we think.

PHILLIPS: So, Joel, are we living in the last days? I mean, let's talk about the specific signs to watch. You've written about them. What does the Bible say, and are we there?

JOEL ROSENBERG: People are very interested, I agree. Tim and Jerry's books deal with the Rapture, the disappearance of the Church and the events going forward through the Book of Revelation. My series -- The Ezekiel Option, The Copper Scroll -- deal with events that could lead up the Rapture and the return of Christ. Yes, people are interested because the rebirth of Israel, the fact that Jews are living in the Holy Land today, that is a Bible prophecy. When Iran, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Russia begin to form an alliance against Israel those are the prophecies from Ezekiel 38 and 39, and that's what I'm basing my novels on. I've been invited to the White House, Capitol Hill, by Members of Congress, Israelis, Arab leaders -- all want to understand the Middle East through the lens of Biblical prophecies. I'm writing these novels that keep seeming to come true, but we're seeing Bible prophecy bit by bit unfold in the Middle East right now.

PHILLIPS: And you talk about epic battles for Jerusalem. Get specific with us. Tells us what is happening now that totally correlates with what you've written about Biblically.

ROSENBERG: Well, that's right, Ezekiel 36 and 37 -- those are chapters in the Bible, in the Old Testament, that are about the rebirth of the State of Israel and Jerusalem coming back under Jewish control. We've seen those prophecies happen. Ezekiel 38 and 39 -- what my novel The Ezekiel Option is about -- is an alliance of Islamic countries to destroy Israel and liberate Jerusalem. Are we seeing that beginning to come true? That's the big question. Then Ezekiel 40 through 48 is about the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Now, if that happens in our lifetime, that alone could unleash the wrath of a billion Muslims worldwide. That's what The Copper Scroll is about. Hunting for treasure. Hunting for ancient documents. And the series of events that could lead to the building of the Jewish Temple and an apocalyptic war in the Middle East.

PHILLIPS: All right, now Jerry, you know, there's number people who would sit back and say, "You know, that Jerry and that Joel, they are crazy. How can you take this book that's more than 1,000 years old, these are just stories, you can't relate it to what's happening right now." What do say to those critics?

JENKINS: I think that's the uniqueness of how we treat the Scripture. So many people try to interpret Revelation symbolically or figuratively and they can interpret it in a couple of hundred different ways. Dr. LaHaye's view has always been, let's take literally what we can take literally, and tell it as if John the Revelator [author of the Book of Revelation] meant what he said when he said, "I looked and I saw...." Unless he's making some comparison, let's just tell it as a literal story. It's really made it come to life for people and opened it [Revelation] up to make it understandable. It has for me as a writer. All the prophecies of the Old Testament about the coming of Christ as a baby were fulfilled literally. So we're saying, what if all the prophecies of the New Testament about Jesus coming back and Rapturing His Church are also literal? We should treat them that way and just see what it looks like.

PHILLIPS: Joel, you also write about the Prophet Zechariah, and if I remember right, let's see, I think it was [chapter] 12 -- right? -- 12:1-3.

ROSENBERG: That's right.

PHILLIPS: Make the correlation for our viewers.

ROSENBERG: Well, this is the prophecy that says that God is going to cause the nations of the world -- the leaders of the nations -- almost get drunk with the dream of recapturing Jerusalem. Now, the Bible says that first Jerusalem will come back under Jewish control in the last days. That'll be one of the indicators [of the last days]. Well, that's where we are today. What are we watching? Saddam Hussein, or Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah -- they're all drunk with the dream of capturing Jerusalem. That's what The Copper Scroll novel is about, which is about this battle -- this intense battle -- to liquidate the Jewish people and liberate Jerusalem. I mean, are we seeing that happen? It's hard not to say that we are. That's why I've gotten invited over to the CIA, and the White House, and Congress. Because people -- it's not that they necessarily believe the prophecies, but they want to understand the prophecies in the Bible, in light of what is going on right now.

PHILLIPS: Do you think they're taking what you're saying and incorporating it into foreign policy?

ROSENBERG: I wouldn't go that far. But I would say that Bible prophecy is an intercept from the mind of God. It's actually fairly remarkable intelligence. And that's why my novels keep coming true, because mine are on this side of the Rapture -- leading up to Jerry and Tim's books -- but they suggest the events that the Bible does lay out that will gets us closer to those events. And in fact, one by one, The Last Jihad, The Last Days, The Ezekiel Option and now The Copper Scroll, they have this feeling of coming true. I think that's why a million copies have sold. They're New York Times best-sellers. Because they are based on Bible prophecy and they are coming true bit by bit, day by day.

PHILLIPS: Jerry, what do you think about what Joel wrote, about watching the rise of a Russian-Iranian alliance seeking to wipe out Israel?

JENKINS: Well, I find it very fascinating, and of course, Joel is a real geopolitical watcher. You know, compared to him I'm just a novelist. As he said, Dr. LaHaye and I are writing about things that are yet to come in the far future. But one of our takes is that nothing else has to happen before Jesus returns. He could do it at any time, regardless of who's in charge or what the state of the Temple is. We feel that all the prophecies have been fulfilled leading up to the return of Christ, which means it could be today, tomorrow, next week or 100 years from now. I'm fascinated by all the stuff that Joel is watching and seeing and just love hearing him talk about it.

PHILLIPS: Joel, do I need to start taking care of unfinished business, and telling people that I love them and I'm sorry for all the evil things I've done.

ROSENBERG: Well, I think that would be a good start. I mean, Jesus loves the people of the Middle East. Matthew 15, Jesus was in southern Lebanon. Why? Telling the people of Lebanon that He loved them, that God loved them. What's interesting is that I was just at the Iraqi Prime Minister's speech today. You know, the Bible talked in Jewish theology and Christian that Iraq would be reborn as a country and would become phenomenally peaceful and prosperous, and then a terrible dictator known as the Antichrist will arise. Watching this speech today in the House of Representatives, the first speech by an Iraqi Prime Minister to a Joint Session of Congress, it strikes me that bit by bit we're watching Revelation and these other prophecies get closer to fulfillment.

PHILLIPS: Joel Rosenberg and Jerry Jenkins, you both scare me, but you both fascinate me. Gentlemen, thank you so much. I appreciate it.

WEBLOG: To track the latest developments in the Middle East crisis -- including a report on the Iraqi Prime Minister's speech to Congress, and Vladimir Putin's new $1 billion arms deal with an enemy of the U.S. -- please click here

Here we see why understanding biblical prophecy is a must for all believers in Christ. God desires for us to have a tangible, practical grip on the things that lie ahead. In times like these the parting words of the book of Daniel take on a striking degree of relevance.

Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:8-9)

Scott's Blog - 7/26/06

A Positive Sign From An Unexpected Source

If you area regular visitor to Scott's Blog, you know that in our entry of 7/21 The First Book and the Last Days, we detailed a crucial but under reported fact of life in Middle Eastern politics. Far from being a unified whole, the Muslim world is riven with doctrinal, ethnic and political fissures. The nature of this conflict was predicted accurately in Genesis 16:11-12.

11The angel of the LORD said to her further,
         "Behold, you are with child,
         And you will bear a son;
         And you shall call his name Ishmael,
         Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.
    12"He will be a wild donkey of a man,
         His hand will be against everyone,
         And everyone's hand will be against him;
         And he will live to the east of all his brothers." (Genesis 16:10-12)

As you recall, we pointed out that inherent divisiveness is alive and kicking today. In fact, the purpose of the diplomatic foray into the region by Condoleeza Rice was not to hammer out a truce or a cease fire. It was all about shoring up an umbrella of Arabic Sunni Moslem nations to form a power block against the Shiites of Iran and their terrorist arm Hezbollah. 

Signs now appear that this mission has been successful. Consider this call for peace and moderation by one of the most notable examples of war-like extremism since Hitler.

Ahmadinejad Calls for Lebanon Cease-Fire
Jul 26 12:11 PM US/Eastern
Email this story

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for a cease-fire in Lebanon and criticized U.S. policy in the Middle East on Wednesday, saying Washington wants to "recarve the map" of the region with Israel's help.

Ahmadinejad's nation is a major backer of Hezbollah and a sworn enemy of Israel, but he denied that Tehran provides military support to the militant group.

In addition to a cease-fire, Ahmadinejad called for talks on the Lebanon crisis without conditions and demanded Israel compensate the country and apologize for its actions.

He said Iran only supports Hezbollah politically and morally.

Ahmadinejad is in Tajikistan for talks with President Emomali Rakhmonov. They signed a joint statement Tuesday declaring "that the use of force against Palestine and Lebanon is unacceptable." At that time, they also called for a cease-fire and urged international organizations to seek the swiftest possible settlement of the conflict.

Don't be fooled. Ahmadinejhad hasn't changed his tune one note. He is passionately committed to the extermination of Israel. But he also knows when he has bet on the wrong horse or overplayed his hand. What has stunned the Iranians has not been the reaction of Israel to their twin provocations in Lebanon and Gaza. What has shocked them is the reaction of their Sunni Arab rivals. 

This shift of power is completely in keeping with the set up for the invasion of Israel predicted in Ezekiel 38-39. Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq are conspicuous by their absence in this Russian lead invading force. This invasion will also take place when Israel's guard is down, possibly following the conclusion of a peace treaty with the Anti-Christ at the start of the final seven year period called the Tribulation. 

Both the players and the non players in this event are being lead to their places on the world's stage. 

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. (Luke 21:28)

Does Prayer Really Change Anything?

When all else fails, you can always pray. 

At least that seems to be the prevailing philosophy in the mayor's office of Lubbock, Texas.

Lubbock, Texas, plans to pray for rain

LUBBOCK, Texas, July 24 (UPI) -- Public officials in Lubbock, Texas, are organizing a day to pray for rain.

"Nobody is going to tell God what to do and what not to do, but we are in a serious drought in West Texas and since he is the man who controls the rain clouds, we're asking him for his mercy and his help," Mayor David Miller told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

The City Council and the Lubbock County commissioners are expected to adopt resolutions this week asking local residents to both pray and fast for rain this Sunday.

So far this year, Lubbock has received about half of its normal 10 inches. In the weeks since June 1, the growing season for cotton, rainfall has been a scant .75 inches, far less than the normal 4.43 inches.

Officials have tried prayers before and say they were answered. In January 2004, after a year of drought, the city and county set aside a Sunday to pray for rain and got the second-wettest year since records have been kept.

As you can imagine, in these days where the highest Constitutional priority is the "separation of church and state" (a phrase that isn't even mentioned in the Constitution), an official governmental call to prayer is sure to generate some passionate reaction. One such representative response to the article captures the general attitude many have toward prayer in general.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I live near Lubbock, TX. These people actually believe that such a measure will work. Imagine extending that to every tiny aspect of their daily lives and you'll get an idea what it's like. Nevertheless, it's quite a shock to have the city officials actually make this a community project.

This story highlights a challenging question for Christians - Does prayer really change anything? 

Even sincere Bible believing Christians aren't so sure. "After all, God is sovereign. He doesn't change his mind. He has everything planned out from the beginning, so His will is going to get done whether we pray or not."

Before we decide to save valuable minutes in our day by dropping our devotions from our daily planners, let's consider some crucial Biblical insights into the place of prayer in God's plan for our lives.

First we need to consider the heaven centered perspective Jesus revealed to us concerning prayer.

 1Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,

 2saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.

 3"There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.'

 4"For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,

 5yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'"

 6And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said;

 7now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?

 8"I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:1-8)

There are two truths that jump out at us here. First the purpose of this parable is to teach us that we should pray at all times and not lose heart. The temptation to say "Why bother to pray anyway?" is a real one. Jesus tells us not to fall into that trap. In response He offers this parable of contrast, designed to show us that if a corrupt, selfish, earth bound politician can be worn down and grant a request, how much confidence should we have bringing our specific requests to our perfect, loving, heavenly Father? We shouldn't allow cynical skepticism, or slick sounding philosophy drive us away from the blessings available to us through prayer.

The second Biblical foundation of a solid view of the place of prayer is to realize it is not just a privilege, but also a responsibility.

If there was ever a man who would have been tempted to throw in the towel on prayer, it was the prophet Samuel. The theme of his ministry seemed to be "No good deed goes unpunished." One of the bitterest pills to swallow was when the people of Israel came to him and demanded that he find them a king so they could be just like all the God rejecting nations around them. Samuel sought the Lord, and God directed him to honor their request, with the sad observation that they weren't rejecting Samuel, but God Himself from being their king. But instead of stomping off in bitterness, Samuel handed over the reigns of power with these incredible words.

20 Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. 22 For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people. 23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way." (I Samuel 12:20-23)

Prayer can bring us to a place of real faith and genuine trust in God. Even if we don't see results, we are responsible to pray. As  servants of the Lord we are not called to analyze the ways of God, but to follow them. If He tells us that not to pray is a sin, it only makes sense to pray!

The third Biblical foundation of the proper place of prayer is to realize that prayer does make a difference.

16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. (James 5:16-18)

God does amazing things through prayer. My father, Dick Richards lost a valiant eleven year fight against cancer in 2005. About half way through this fight, my Dad called me on a Friday afternoon. His oncologist had told him that after a time of remission, his cancer was back with a vengeance. A large lymphoma had compromised his adrenal gland and was essentially untreatable. He was told his time would be very short and to get his affairs in order. Although that news hit me like a ton of bricks, I responded by asking my Dad if I could pray for him. After an awkward silence he said, "Sure. Why not? I'd appreciate it."

I have to admit that the prayer I prayed wasn't one that lifted my spirit into heavenly glory. It wasn't particularly eloquent. I simply asked that God would heal my Dad, and give us the grace to accept His will in the situation whatever way it would go.

The following Monday, I got a call back from my Dad. He said, "Thank you so much for praying for me! You won't believe what happened!"

He then told me about gong back into the office of his oncologist. He sat down and waited for the results of the follow up CAT scan he had taken on Friday. The doctor looked at the picture, and then asked my Dad an unexpected question, "Mr. Richards, are you a religious man?" 

 "Well, as much as the next guy, I guess. Why do you ask?"

"I have here the CAT scan that shows the large lymphoma on your adrenal gland. I also have the CAT scan we took on Friday. The lymphoma is completely gone. There isn't even a scar. I have no scientific explanation for this. So I wanted to ask you, 'Are you a religious man?"

My Dad then profusely thanked me for praying. But I told him it wasn't my prayer that made a difference. It was the fact that God wants you to know how much He loves you that made the difference. 

My Dad lived on another six years and accepted Christ as his Savior during that time. He is completely healed now, and I will see him again.

And I wonder sometimes, what would have happened if I hadn't prayed?

I'm glad I will never find out.

Which brings us back to Lubbock, Texas. perhaps the wisest comment on the Mayor's call for prayer came from a lady named Betty.

I find it to be very heartening to know that in this land and in this day and age, there still exist some people within the governmental structure who believe that there is a God and that He still answers the prayers of those who call on Him. I'm also thrilled to know that they still have the courage to adopt such resolutions, knowing how the ACLU seems to love to pounce on them, call them unconstitutional, and sometimes even file suit to get them stopped. I guess there's nothing quite like desperation to get them to decide to risk it; but to them I say, "Hang in there and press on. God always comes through for those who have real faith." 

Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Go Into Barnes and Noble's..

Over the years I have learned to never say, "It can't get any weirder than this."

It can. And it does.

Remember the dust up over the movie version of The DaVinci Code?

When things began to get hot and questions began being asked as to why an actor like Tom Hanks would be involved in such a patently offensive film to Christians the response was to play the famous "It's just a movie" card.

Oscar-winner Hanks said objectors to The Da Vinci Code are taking the film too seriously, telling the Evening Standard: "We always knew there would be a segment of society that would not want this movie to be shown.

"But the story we tell is loaded with all sorts of hooey and fun kind of scavenger-hunt-type nonsense.

"If you are going to take any sort of movie at face value, particularly a huge-budget motion picture like this, you'd be making a very big mistake."

Ha! Ha! All that stuff about, "The greatest story ever told is a lie"? We were just kidding. No one takes this sort of thing seriously, right?

Wrong.

Meet Kathleen McGowan.

If you're one of the 40 million readers of The Da Vinci Code, get ready to stretch your credulity still further. An author is about to claim that she is the living embodiment of the Holy Grail, a direct descendant of the physical union between Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ. She's American, she's 43, and she means it - every word.

Even though it seems her claim comes straight from the world of fictional make-believe, Kathleen McGowan, a married mother of three, is about to tell her story in a "partly autobiographical" novel that hopes to trade directly on the vast worldwide audience captured by Dan Brown. It promises to light almost as many fires of controversy as Brown's novel itself.

My first thought was that McGowan's claims will probably be celebrated in the same kind of places we hear about secret photos of Elvis' face on Mars, but McGowan has found a far more serious backer than the supermarket check out line set.

For, however outlandish Ms McGowan's claims, they are being taken seriously by one of the world's most respected publishing houses. Simon & Schuster is publishing her book and ploughing a marketing budget of more than a quarter of a million dollars into promoting it. It has already invested a seven-figure sum in the rights to her book, The Expected One. "I certainly expect there will be a backlash," said Ms McGowan. "But I have the support of my family and friends and that's what I draw from."

Claims to such a genetic lineage might normally draw skepticism from a world where an author's credibility can make or break a book. But rights to Ms McGowan's story of religious intrigue have been sold in more than 20 languages and the first print run in the US alone is 250,000. Her novel - which was first self-published last year and sold just 2,500 copies - goes on sale in Britain next month. It is the first part of a trilogy.

Digby Halsby, of Simon & Schuster's UK division, said Ms McGowan had been working on the book since 1989 and thus predated Dan Brown's efforts. When asked how a publisher could authenticate the author's claim about her heritage, he said: "It's impossible to verify. It's all to do with a matter of faith. She makes a very convincing argument."

Not that credible scholars find these kind of strange claims at all convincing -

Academics are highly skeptical of claims that Mary Magdalene traveled to France and that she and Jesus had a child. Bart Ehrman, chair of the department of religious studies at the University of North Carolina and author of Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend, said: "You can survey anyone who is a scholar of early Christianity and they will tell you the same thing - it's completely bogus. There are no records. We have no account of Mary Magdalene even going to France until the Middle Ages and the legend about her going to France sprung up because there was a cult to Mary Magdalene in southern France."

So what fuels this trend toward more and more bizarre and far fetched takes on the life of Jesus? From a strictly bottom line perspective, the suits at Simon and Schuster undoubtedly believe the response to the outlandish work of Dan Brown hasn't played itself out quite yet. A tried and true rule in the entertainment biz is take a successful concept and repeat it until the wheels fall off. How else can we explain the existence of "Joanie Loves Chachi"?

Unfortunately, there is more to this than a less than subtle attempt to jump on the gravy train created by The DaVinci Code. It also underscores a very serious sign of the times.

1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (II Timothy 4:1-5)

I believe that as the time of the Lord's return draws nearer and nearer we will see unverifiable and over the top "fables" continue to capture commercial success. It is clear that in a culture that dismisses the idea of absolute truth and celebrates the sensationalistic  claims like that of Kathleen McGowan and Dan Brown will find many takers. As CS Lewis put it, "When a man ceases to believe in God, he doesn't believe in nothing. He believes in anything."

Our response? Each of us as believers needs to become equipped to be able to share the historical reliability of the eyewitness accounts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. This battle can't be left to pastors or Christian talk show hosts alone. The main targets of this kind of cornball deception are not the kind of people who will likely darken the door of a church or call in with a question. But they are undoubtedly willing to have a sit down at Starbucks and talk about these issues on their own home turf. How many lives could be touched if we again seize the opportunity to simply and calmly say, 

"There sure is a lot of discussion about Jesus these days. Have you ever read what those who actually lived with Him had to say about His life?"

The First Book and the Last Days

There is no doubt that the crisis in Israel continues to escalate. Israel is now massing troops at the border of Lebanon for what is being termed a "limited ground assault" designed to root out the terrorist group Hezbollah and end their ability to use the areas as a staging ground for raids and missile assaults.

But on the diplomatic front there is emerging a series of developments that may end up being more devastating to the terrorists and their sponsors than anything the Israeli Defense Forces will do. 

On the Time Magazine web site, blogger Mike Allen reports a fascinating turn of events.

Although some conservatives have been fretting that Lebanese rocket fire and Israeli warplanes are making President Bush look helpless, administration officials revealed to TIME today that they have plans to harness the chaos as a "leadership moment" for Bush that could wind up helping his flagging goal of transforming the Middle East.

These officials said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will leave Sunday night for a week of diplomacy in the region and will go with the modest goal of forming an "umbrella of Arab allies" in opposition to the militant group Hizballah that incited the conflagration by kidnapping two Israeli soldiers.

"She's not going to come home with a ceasefire, but stronger ties to the Arab world," an administration official said. "It's going to allow us to say that America isn't going to put up with this and we have Arab friends that are against you terrorists. What we want is our Arab allies standing against Hizballah and against Iran, since there is no one who doesn't think Iran is behind this. We're going to say to Hizballah and the terrorist groups, 'This will not stand.' That is the way to bring real change to the Middle East. If you just have a ceasefire, then soon or later, they go back to fighting."

Rice was to announce her plans at a briefing this afternoon, officials said. Officials were using the word "umbrella" instead of "coalition" to avoid reminders of the struggling coalition the U.S. led into Iraq. Administration officials said the plans Rice will discuss include security, humanitarian relief and reconstruction in Lebanon. "We do not want Hizballah to get the opportunity to rearm and rebuild," a Bush aide said.

Another administration official told TIME this morning that the diplomacy "is going remarkably well," pointing to phone calls the President has had with Middle Eastern leaders, the journey by two envoys to the region, and frequent conversations between National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and his counterparts.

For many the idea of a group of Moslem nations taking a stand against a group like Hezbollah doesn't make sense. After all, aren't Islamic nations a unified front, all sharing the same desire to see Israel wiped off the map? 

In a word, no.

The key fault in that assessment is there could possibly be anything resembling a "unified front" in Middle Eastern politics. There is a huge divide between the Arab Moslem nations such as Saudi Arabia and Jordan and non-Arab Moslem states like Iran.

It surprises many in this country to discover that Iranians are not Arabs.

In fact, if you want to really insult an Iranian, refer to their homeland as just another Arab country. They will immediately correct you, and point out that their heritage proudly flows from a very different stream.

The fact that there is immense division between these people groups is no surprise to students of the Bible. The Arab people trace their roots back to Abraham's son Ishmael. In Genesis 16 there is a remarkable prophecy recorded concerning this man and his offspring. At a moment of tremendous despair, the Lord gave this word of encouragement to Ishmael's mother Hagar. 

Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, "I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count."

 11The angel of the LORD said to her further,
         "Behold, you are with child,
         And you will bear a son;
         And you shall call his name Ishmael,
         Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.
    12"He will be a wild donkey of a man,
         His hand will be against everyone,
         And everyone's hand will be against him;
         And he will live to the east of all his brothers." (Genesis 16:10-12)

This contentious nature is on full display in the current conflict. The Arab nations are no friends of Israel, but there is one rising threat in the region they are more concerned about - a potentially nuclear armed Iran. The Arab nations clearly understand that Hezbollah is armed, funded and directed by Iran. This is why they have not only been muted in their criticism of Israel in the current conflict, but are privately hoping this will be a major set back for their rivals to the north in Tehran.

It is clear that Iran turned loose their attack dogs in Lebanon to distract world focus from their own nuclear program. They may have succeeded in buying time. But if the US diplomatic initiative can unify the Arabs into an "umbrella of nations" opposed to Iranian expansion and adventurism, the balance of power in the region will shift dramatically. This could have far reaching consequences in terms of bringing increased security to Israel and the stabilization of a Western style free market economy in Iraq, events that are loaded with potential significance from a prophetic point of view.

How Did We Get the Bible Anyway?

Let's open the SRL mailbag and tackle one of the most foundational questions of the Christian life!

I can never call you because I work in a cubicle and can't really make
personal phone calls.  But my question is, what do I tell my non-believing
friend about all the translations of the bible? Where have all the books
been found, how and who put them together?  Is there a good book you can
recommend so that I can learn this?  I have already read "case for Christ."
A good read, but I am sure there is more I can study.  Thank you so much.
This may help me witness to my friend.  


God bless your Radio show-it has taught me a lot....I enjoy it very much.


Shelly

Why is this question so crucial? Stop and think of the average conversation we have with nonbelievers.

Nonbeliever: "Why do you Christians say your way is right and everyone else is wrong?"

Christian: "Well, we as Christians didn't come up with this. In the Bible, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me."

Nonbeliever: "Why should I believe your Bible? Everyone knows it's been changed hundreds of times. I saw in that movie The DaVinci Code that a Roman emperor decided which books would get in, and threw out the ones he didn't like. Besides all that, men wrote it so how can you claim it is the word of God?"

Christian: "Gee! Look at the time! Catch ya later!"

As you can see, when the dust settles, virtually every tough question we are asked about our faith inevitably brings us back to a single issue - Why do we believe that God has spoken to us in the Bible?  If we don't have an answer to that simple question, every time we are asked a reason for the hope that is in us will turn into a stomach churning exercise in evasive double talk. But if we know what we believe and why we believe it on this one single issue, we can share our faith with calmness and confidence.

Here are three foundational truths every believer needs to know about the reliability of the Bible.

The Source of God's Word

Simon Peter, one of the human authors of the Bible had this to say about its ultimate source.

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.  For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”  And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,  for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (II Peter 1:16-21)

Two crucial truths about the Bible emerge here. First the Bible is a record of God's dealings with man in the realm of human history. It doesn't begin with the words "Once upon a time". Second, the words we find in the Bible did not come from human philosophy, perspective or prejudice. When Peter uses the word "moved by the Holy Spirit", he means that although God used human beings to write down the truths we find in the Bible, He specially moved through them to produce exactly the revelation he wanted us to receive. 

The Security of God's Word

At this point a very logical objection is usually raised - "Telling me the Bible is God's Word because it claims to be God's Word, isn't very convincing. Is there anything about the Bible that sets it apart from all the other religious books as uniquely inspired by God?"

That is an awesome question - because it leads us to three compelling aspects of the bible that point to its heavenly origin.

Historical Accuracy 

If God is the ultimate author of the Bible we could reasonably expect it to be accurate concerning the historical events it records. Interestingly, even though the Biblical record has at times been dismissed as fantasy, archeological work in the Middle East has strongly supported the accuracy of both Old and New Testaments. For instance, there was a time when the idea that Moses could have written the first five books of the Bible was dismissed because he supposedly lived prior to the advent of written language. this was blown away by the discovery of a library in the ruins of an ancient city called Ebla in modern Syria. Highly developed written language was found that predated Moses by nearly a thousand years.

Jesus put it this way, "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" (John 3:12) The Bible consistently passes the test of historical accuracy.

Doctrinal Consistency

If God is the ultimate author of the Bible we could reasonably expect it to be consistent in its message. This is precisely what we find when we approach the Scriptures with an open mind. Although it was written by over 40 authors, over a 1500 year span of time, in three languages, on three different continents it agrees on the most controversial issues known to man. As the book of Proverbs expresses it,

Every word of God is pure;
      He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
       Do not add to His words,
      Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. (Proverbs 30:5-6)

Supernatural Quality

It's one thing to have a book of accurate history. It's nice to have a book that is consistent internally. But this doesn't prove that the Bible is inspired supernaturally. That is why one of the most compelling supports to the Bible's claim to be the Word of God is it's undeniably supernatural quality, revealed through predictive prophecy. The next time you get a chance to share the reason you believe the Bible is the Word of God, simply read this passage, without telling your listener where it is found.

Surely He has borne our griefs
      And carried our sorrows;
      Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
      Smitten by God, and afflicted.
        But He was wounded for our transgressions,
      He was bruised for our iniquities;
      The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
      And by His stripes we are healed.
       All we like sheep have gone astray;
      We have turned, every one, to his own way;
      And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

I have asked people where they think this is found in the Bible. Most have said to me, "Well, that's got to be in the New Testament - probably one of the Gospels." When I show them these words are recorded in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, written over 700 years before Jesus came on the scene, it is an eye opening moment. The Bible is an undeniably supernatural book. And no other book of any religion can hold a candle to the unbroken track record of predictive prophecy we find in the Bible. It's Author obviously isn't limited by time!

What an exciting thing it is to be able to share with people that God really has spoken to us in a way that is worthy of our trust! If you would like to explore this subject more in depth, pick up Josh McDowell's classic book Evidence That Demands a Verdict or stop by our resource area at ScottRichardsLive.com and order a copy of my book Reasonable Doubts. It will not only bolster your faith in God's awesome Word, but it is written in a way that your non Christian friends can hang with it. Thanks for the great question!

Scott's Blog - 7/19/06

A Morally Equivalent Messiah?

By now we are all familiar with moral relativism - You go your way. I'll go mine. If we meet in the middle, that's beautiful, man. Do what is best and right to you. Just be sincere and everything will be fine.

The idea always goes over big in the tranquil, ivy covered halls of a college ethics class. It gets tougher to swallow when we bring Adolph Hitler into the discussion.

Hand and hand with this man centered view of personal morality is the idea of moral equivalence. One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. It all just depends on your point of view.  And since all points of view are equally valid, it is rude or down right oppressive to judge the sincere actions of others, no matter what cause they serve.

Believe it or not, there are those who are now trying to extend this same theory to the spiritual realm, with an interesting twist. Instead of saying all sides of an issue are equally right, now all sides of one theological concept are all equally wrong. 

The concept? The hope of a coming Messiah.

Expediting the end

Various religious groups are trying to play God and hasten the arrival of their messiahs

			Evangelist John C. Hagee speaks at his church in Pasadena. He has helped 12,000 Russian Jews move to Israel and donated millions to Israeli hospitals and orphanages. He believes that when Christ returns, there will be one criterion: How did you treat the Jewish people? KEN HIVELY/LOS ANGELES TIMES
			Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hopes to welcome the messiah Imam Mahdi to Tehran within two years. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

By LOUIS SAHAGUN
LOS ANGELES TIMES

Last Updated: July 15, 2006, 06:37:53 AM PDT

For thousands of years, prophets have predicted the end of the world. Today, various religious groups, using the latest technology, are trying to hasten it.

Their end game is to speed the promised arrival of a messiah.

For some Christians, this means laying the groundwork for Armageddon. With that goal in mind, megachurch pastors recently met in Inglewood to polish strategies for using global communications and aircraft to transport missionaries to fulfill the Great Commission — to make every person on Earth aware of Jesus' message. Doing so, they believe, will bring about the end, perhaps within two decades.

In Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has a far different vision.

Ahmadinejad, who is defiantly pursuing a nuclear option, has suggested that the elimination of Israel would herald the return of a ninth-century Muslim cleric known as the Mahdi, the 12th Imam. He hopes to welcome that messiah to Tehran within two years.

Conversely, some Jewish groups in Jerusalem hope to clear the path for their own messiah by rebuilding a temple on a site now occupied by one of Islam's holiest shrines. Artisans have re-created priestly robes of white linen, gem-studded breastplates, silver trumpets and solid-gold menorahs to be used in the Holy Temple — along with two 6½-ton marble cornerstones for the building's foundation.

Do you catch the raging case of moral equivalence being presented in this article? Painted with one broad brush are all believers in this dangerous idea of a coming Messiah. 

We might easily see how the genocidal threats of a Mahmoud Ahmadinejhad would fit that description, but what about evangelical Christians? The Times article solemnly warns that there is a hidden, violent agenda behind all this prophecy talk.

Generations of Christians have hoped for the Second Coming of Jesus, said Eugen Weber, a UCLA historian and author of the 1999 book "Apocalypses: Prophecies, Cults and Millennial Beliefs through the Ages."

"And it's always been an ultimately bloody hope, a slaughterhouse hope," he added with a sigh. "What we have now in this global age is a vaster, bloodier-than-ever Wagnerian version. But, then, we are a very imaginative race."

It is hard not to react with "a sigh" to the ham fisted superficiality of today's "drive by" media. A quick question for the L.A. Times -

Is there a difference between those who hope for Messiah to come and respond by wanting to build a temple, or bring a message of deliverance to the world, and those who want to bomb "infidels" into oblivion?

There obviously is a huge difference. 

What does "the blessed hope" that Jesus could return at any time practically produce in the life of a believer?

 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;  and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation. (II Peter 3:14-15)

A Messianic hope that leads people to live in peace, with a commitment to moral and spiritual integrity, and a heart felt desire to see people saved, not destroyed. 

It's hard to believe that even the L.A. Times would have a problem with that.

Scott's Blog - 7/18/06

What Does It Mean to Be Human?

Buried deeply beneath the noise and din of wall to wall coverage of events in the Middle East, another event of stunning spiritual significance is unfolding in the United States Senate. A bill authorizing federal funding for embryonic stem cell research is on the edge of passage. By all accounts this will result in the first veto of the presidency of George W. Bush. (See Scott's Blog 7/10/06)

This appears to be a case where principle will take a stand against popular sentiment. 

Senate OK's stem cell bill

WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted Tuesday after two days of emotional debate to expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, sending the measure to President Bush for a promised veto that would be the first of his presidency.

The bill passed 63-37, four votes short of the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override Bush's veto. The president left little doubt he would reject the bill -- perhaps today -- despite late appeals on its behalf from fellow Republicans Nancy Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"The simple answer is he thinks murder's wrong," said White House spokesman Tony Snow. "The president is not going to get on the slippery slope of taking something living and making it dead for the purposes of scientific research."

Polls show as much as 70 percent public support for embryonic stem cell research.

As we have previously pointed out, there is a far more practically promising avenue of research focusing on the use of adult stem cells to accomplish the same kind of cures. Tony Snow's brief but brilliant summary of  Bush' s reasoning draws the lines in this argument in an unavoidably clear way.

The nub of the issue? Tell me how you answer the question, "What does it mean to be human?" and I will be able to predict your stand on this issue. 

If we believe that we as human beings are a cosmic accident that managed to use our opposable thumbs to climb to the top of the evolutionary dog pile, we will be stridently in favor of anything that enhances our chances of survival.

If we believe that there is probably a God out there, but who really knows what is on His mind?, we will tend to take the word of experts and defer to the tried and true, "If it works, it must be good" philosophy.

But what if God has spoken to us?

What if He has told us what it means to be human?

What if our humanity is not attained by passing a certain developmental threshold, but granted to each person upon whom God confers the gift of life?

If you believe the message of the Bible that God is the Giver of Life, and that each human life from conception to old age is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect, I would also hope I could predict your stand on this issue.

Principle, not popularity or political expediency should govern our stand on such an essential issue.

 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
      And what does the LORD require of you
      But to do justly,
      To love mercy,
      And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

For a more in depth view of the stem cell controversy from a solid scriptural and scientific point of view see the article Stem Cells and Genesis by Dr. Jonathon Sarfati at Answers in Genesis.com

Scott's Blog - 7/17/06

Beware of Birth Pains

Last weekend was an exciting one for the ministry of Scott Richards Live. On Saturday night we held a Scott Richards Live-Alive! session at Calvary Christian Fellowship of Tucson. Then on Sunday, we shared a special prophecy update during our morning services. You can get a copy of both of these teachings by calling our customer service number toll free at 1-877-556-1212.

Whenever I have been involved in a Q and A session or a prophecy update, inevitably the question arises - "So, how close to the time of the Lord's return do you think we are?" 

Answering this question can be a tricky business. We have all winced when a ministry long on a desire for publicity, but short on Biblical understanding has grabbed the spotlight by either boldly announcing or strongly hinting at a date for the Rapture.

The difficult balance to maintain is to not become so reactive to the Chicken Little School of Theology, that we cease to take seriously Jesus' main point of personal application concerning Hs return.

32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" (Mark 13:32-37)

It's hard to miss Jesus' command here. We are to be watchful people. But what are we to watch for? At this point the discussion usually gets pretty vague. But would it surprise you to know that Jesus has told us what we are to look for as the time of His return draws near?

5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:5-8)

Notice Jesus gives us three specifics - Spiritual deception, international conflicts and natural disasters will come on the scene. These kinds of things have been with us in a general sense since the fall of man. But notice, Jesus indicates that these events will fall into a unique sequence as the time draws near. The word translated "sorrows" - the Greek word "odin" - refers specifically to the pain a woman experiences in labor. 

Now there are two unique characteristics of labor pains - they increase in frequency and intensity as the big event draws near. It is also interesting that these pains rise to an intense level, then suddenly subside for a time. 

Viewed through this lens, the events of this summer alone take on a decidedly different perspective. Spiritually, we have seen deception presented to our culture featuring one of the most bankable box office stars, one of Hollywood's most respected directors, and the big money budget to present a Bible bashing heresy with state of the art special effects.

Internationally, we have not merely seen bluff and bluster from a decidedly unhinged leader in Iran, but the world's worst kept secret is the current rocket assault on Israel is coordinated and financed in Tehran. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of Iran has a decidedly spiritual agenda - exterminate Israel and prepare the way for his version of an Islamic messiah.

Naturally, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake off the coast of the island of Java in Indonesia generated a deadly tsunami.

The significance prophetically? Not only have we seen a not so subtle trifecta of the very signs that Jesus associated with last days birth pains, but we are so overwhelmed by all these things hitting at once  that the Indonesian tsunami story probably won't make the front page of most papers.

The bottom line is simple. Jesus not only told us to watch for His return - He also told us what to watch for. Like birth pains we will see these kind of events build to a frighteningly intense peak, subside for a time and then come back in an even stronger fashion, with less and less time in between. The count down has begun.

Scott's Blog - 7/14/06

The Mystery of Anti-Semitism

The story is told of a French king who asked the members of his court for one undeniable proof that God exists. His wisest advisor replied, "The Jews, Sire. It is the Jews."

There is no doubt that the story of the Jewish people is nothing short of miraculous. A tiny tribe that began with one man nearly 4,000 years ago has changed the course of physical, cultural and especially spiritual history. They have survived genocidal campaigns from Pharaoh to Hitler. They have been used as instruments of God's judgment, and have been objects of His wrath. They have been removed from their homeland and scattered twice, only to return to the place God promised their forefathers. In the last 50 years they have been attacked by enemies on all sides only to survive and expand. The Jews are a living portrait of the faithfulness of God to His promises and His people.

6 The LORD executes righteousness
         And justice for all who are oppressed.
 7 He made known His ways to Moses,
         His acts to the children of Israel.
 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
         Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. (Psalm 103:6-8)

But looking at today's head lines there is another undeniably spiritual reality we see dramatically illustrated in the life of national Israel. Just as there is a God who loves His people, there is also a wicked one whose number one goal is to "steal, kill and destroy." (John 10:10) Just as we can see in history the presence and protection of God over His people, we can also see that no other ethnic group has been so marked and set aside for hatred and persecution. Satan knows he cannot take God on directly, so he attempts to strike at those whom God loves. 

This component of hellish spiritual deception is beginning to manifest itself again in this current conflict. The deceptive word of choice today seems to be "disproportionate." As in, "Yes, those 'militant' (we can't use the very un-Politically Correct word - "terrorist") groups have certainly done some very bad things, but the real problem is the Jews are over reacting. It is Israel that is the real problem here. They are responding in a way that is..'disproportionate.'"

To gauge whether Israel has "over reacted" in a "disproportionate" way, let's consider the facts on the ground. 

Terrorist groups in Gaza (Hamas) and in Lebanon (Hizbollah) invaded Israeli territory and kidnapped three soldiers, undeniable acts of war.

They have followed up by a massive campaign of rocket attacks - including a strike on the city of Haifa that intelligence indicates was Iranian made and launched by Iranian Republican Guards.

IDF veteran Yoni Tidi sums up the level of provocation Israel has endured.

Over 700 Katyusha rockets and mortar shells have been fired on northern Israel in the current offensive in Lebanon, a senior IDF official reported on Friday.

This continuous barrage of rockets included several Katyushas that landed in Nahariya and the surrounding area and one that hit a house in Kiryat Shmona early Friday afternoon. No one was wounded in the attacks, which followed close on the heels of four rockets that landed near Rosh Pina and Safed earlier in the day and caused power failures in the area, but no injuries.

Also earlier Friday, several Katyushas landed near Kibbutz Bar'am in the Galilee Panhandle. No one was wounded, and no damage was reported.

Meanwhile, the second fatality in the Safed attack on Thursday evening was identified as Nitzan Roseban, 33, a Safed resident. Roseban was seriously wounded when a Katyusha rocket landed near his motorcycle, and died of his wounds in the hospital.

Army spokesman Capt. Jacob Dallal announced that Israel "cannot tolerate a situation where a terrorist organization is operating from a sovereign country on our northern border and threatening well over half a million Israeli civilians."

To put this in perspective -

Last night 100 million Americans' were ordered to spend the night in their bomb shelters.

If this was the news how would America respond to the threat that caused 1/3 of the total population to spend the night in their bomb shelters?

Last night 2 million Israelis' 1/3 of Israel's population, were order to spend the night in their bomb shelters. How many of you could live for 50 plus years in a situation where when you built a new house in order to get a building permit a bomb shelter had to be part of your new house. 

Here we see a sovereign nation, attacked by terrorists, who admittedly have one purpose - to destroy Israel. Who could blame Israel for saying, "Enough is enough!"

Koffi Annan would.

Annan urges Israel to halt attacks and Palestinians to release soldier

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN chief Kofi Annan called for an immediate stop to what he called Israel's "disproportionate use of force" in Gaza but also pressed for the release of an Israeli soldier snatched by Palestinian militants.

"I call again for an immediate halt to the disproportionate use of force by Israel, which has already killed and wounded many civilians, for the release of Israeli army corporal Gilad Shalit and for the cessation of rocket fire into Israel," he said in a statement issued in Berlin and released here.

"These measures are an absolute prerequisite for defusing the tensions which are escalating every day," said the UN chief, who is in Berlin to attend the soccer World Cup final Sunday and to hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The spokesman for the European Union would.

EU faults 'disproportionate' Israeli force in Gaza

Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, whose country holds Union’s rotating presidency, says ‘EU condemns the loss of lives caused by disproportionate use of force by the Israeli Defense Forces and the humanitarian crisis it has aggravated
Reuters

The European Union accused Israel on Friday of a disproportionate use of force against Palestinians in Gaza and of making a humanitarian crisis there worse.

It was the first time the 25-nation bloc had made such a sharp criticism of the Jewish state in the crisis triggered by the abduction of Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit from a border post by Palestinian Islamic militants on June 25.

“The EU condemns the loss of lives caused by disproportionate use of force by the Israeli Defense Forces and the humanitarian crisis it has aggravated,” Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said in a statement on a visit to St Petersburg.

If the United Stares had been hit by over 700 rockets launched with the cover of the governments of Canada or Mexico, would a military response to put a stop to it be disproportionate?

The absolute lunacy, the disconnect from reality demonstrated here may be politically motivated. But behind it all we are seeing the same words from the same anti-Semitic script the world has heard since the time of Pharaoh. It is impossible to fully understand the "blame Israel first" mentality of our day without understanding it's spiritual origin.

Scott's Blog - 7/13/06

Peace Where There Is No Peace

The escalating battle with terrorists we wrote about yesterday has now grown into a conflict described by Israel as a full blown war.

Enlarge Photo

AP

Israel intensifies attacks against Lebanon

AP - Thu Jul 13, 7:57 PM ET

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Israel blasted Beirut's airport and other Lebanese targets Thursday, bringing its air and naval campaign to the doorsteps of the capital and threatening massive retaliation after guerrilla rockets for the first time reached Israel's third-largest city, Haifa. The fighting, which killed 57 people, was a dramatic escalation in the battle between Israel and Hezbollah, an Islamic militant group which has a free hand in southern Lebanon and holds seats in parliament.

The question that must be asked is a simple one - How did things get this far out of hand?

The answer is also relatively simple.- and in a significant way Biblical.

The simple answer is expressed eloquently by well known radio talk show host and movie reviewer Michael Medved.

LAND FOR TERROR?

There's something about a ringing phone at five in the morning that's chilling, not just startling; inevitably, that's the kind of interruption to sleep that one associates with bad news. This morning's call (July 12) came from my brother Jonathan in Jerusalem. Last time he called me early in the morning with a news bulletin it was nearly five years ago; on that Tuesday morning, I was already up, getting coffee, going through the newspapers at about 6.30, when he told me to put on the radio, to watch the news: something horrible was happening in New York City with planes flying into buildings. I remember during the unfolding events of 9/11 thinking of the irony: my brother in Jerusalem called with an alarming update about a terrorist attack not in Israel, but here in the USA -- where we always assumed we were safe.

This morning's call provided another shock to that illusion of safety -- for Americans, for Israelis. Jonathan conveyed the horrible news that Hezbollah had attacked across the Lebanese border, killing Israeli soldiers, kidnapping two of them, and that Israel's decisive response (including the call up of reserves) heralded the prospect of one more major Middle Eastern war. "We're kicking the crap out of Hezbollah," my brother reported. "From air, se