This… is AMAZING… and a good reason to watch tv… or at the very least to spend several hours browsing the discover website. I haven’t watched TV in forever. I even sorta gave up on 24. I’m like 8 episodes behind on my DVR. But tonight.. I’m giving this planet of mine and the God who created it 3 hours of my attention. And between now and April 22, I think I’ll make it part of my Sunday night ritual.

here’s some facts about the filming:

• 5 years in the making
• 2000 days of footage
• 204 locations
• Every Continent
• Sigourney Weaver is the narrator

Basically- this thing is sick. Rock on…..

So, this post, and at least one more to come later in the week will be about theological questions others have asked me to expand on from my point of view.

QUESTION:

Sorry to only hit you up or information…but when I thought “Wise Councel” I thought of you. [see honored and scared note from me above] I’ve been attending this great church. At first I was resistant, mostly because of all of the baggage from the past few years, but I’m returning to the Lord, and it’s exciting – but scary. The scary part is being filled with the Holy Spirit, sure that’s not really scary – but this church is so Spirit filled and focused, that because of my background, I’m not super comfortable. I wanted to know what you felt about being baptized in the Holy Spirit, and spiritual gifts. It’s a nondenominational church, but they believe in a prayer language, or speaking in tounges (only to God of course – not as a congregation so much) and I have just heard so much against that – or more like an attitude of negativity to speaking in tounges, etc. I keep hearing in my head “oh those crazy babbling people…” you know? 🙂 But the more God is working on my heart, the more I want to be free in him – i don’t want to be held back from biblical truth and all that God has for me – but I have this fear…a stupid fear really, of being a “fool”.

MY BEST SHOT AT A BIBLE BASED ANSWER:

1. That there is no pressure or idea that somehow, these are the true sign that you are holy spirit filled. Some churches read the day of pentecost in Acts as a sign that if the spirit of God is in you, then by default, you will speak in tongues. This has several problems, not the least of which was that in the book of Acts, they were speaking in languages that were “known to others” but “unknown to them.” Like all of a sudden, by the power of the holy spirit, you can now speak fluent Cantonese, etc. So, as long as they are “permitting” the gifts to be expressed and encouraging people to explore them without some sense that you must exhibit this character trait or you’re not filled with the Holy Spirit, then I’m good with it.
2. I’m concerned that they don’t also indicate some sort of heirarchy of the gifts. Like your prayer life is going to be amazing if you start praying like this, and not so much if you don’t. That super prayer people pray in tongues and idiots don’t. I think you should ask God to show you what is truth and what is not. You should read up on the texts that deal with this in the New Testament, and then you should be open to whatever gifts God might give you or express to you through others. If this church believes in prophecy and someone comes to you with a “prophetic” word, go ahead and hear it. But then do what 1 John says and test it too. Test it against Jesus and against the Bible and against your own convictions.

Well, it’s been just under 2 years of blogging my life experiences, rants, family photos, ministry stuff, and such. This marks my 200th post. Some people achieve this really fast. I’m kinda slow I guess.

My blog meter thingy says like 250ish people a week hit this thing up. Most stay on it for less than a minute. Don’t know that it matters. Maybe in honor of my 200th post… if you enjoy this blog and read it psuedo regularly, you could comment as such and tell me what you like best or whatever. Might be kinda fun to know who really does drop in now and again.

Maybe if no one comments I know that I do this for myself. Peace out people. I’m going to bed.

Today I picked jake up from pre-school. I asked him if he had anything in his box. He said yes and I went to pick it up.

Now close your eyes and picture this….. ok so that will make it hard to read, but you’re going to need to imagine… however you choose to do that. Cuz I don’t feel like scanning this art into my computer… so here goes:

IMAGINE:

• One sheet of Pink construction paper.
• On it, like 40 sea creatures are stamped on it in black ink.
• Not 40 different sea creatures, just like 40 dime sized sea creatures of about 4 varieties.
• Fish, crabs, sharks, and octopi (i guess that might be the plural of octopus.. I’m pretty sure it’s not octopuses)
• …and 2 cows.
• both are upside down.
• Jake explained this to me. This one is a fish. This one is a cwab. This one is a shawk. This one is the octooopus. These ones awe the land animals. They awe dwownin.
• Yep, my kid made an ocean seen and decided that it would be funny if 2 cows drown in it.

Aren’t boys fun!!! These are among the givens of imaginative play time: someone dies, gets blown up, discovers a hidden super power, or decides to have a battle with another.

No joke, I just got an e-mail titled that in my in box.

#1. a quick skim of the e-mail indicates someone, somewhere in Africa evidently, wants money.

#2. If this theology is correct, a grip of my volunteers are going to hell, because they don’t read my e-mails.

#3. Is the reverse true too… like if I delete and don’t read this e-mail, does that mean I send someone to hell? Guess I’m about to find out….