Microscope and Telescope

Tags

church, microscope, science, spirit, telescope, Truth

Science and Christianity have had times when they were at odds with each other. Famous scientists of the 21st century like Richard Dawkins or Stephen Hawking have tried to use science to disprove God, but to no avail, because Yahweh is the Creator of everything they are studying. Nonetheless, they pursue their fruitless endeavor. But, science has also given Christianity many tools, like the Hubble Telescope, which has given us the ability to see parts of creation, that in previous generations were not available for us to see. Therefore, finding the good in every discipline in our culture is necessary, to extract where God is moving in our earth realm.

In the vein of science, when we were in Middle school we were introduced to the microscope and the telescope. We learned that the microscope was to identify the smallest of details in a cell, blood or some other material that was placed in a petri dish or on a glass strip. The direction of a microscope is to look down, to see details on a micro or small level. Much of the church has had a microscope approach to God and people’s lives. We have been critical of details that we deemed as sin and nit picking at theological issues. At one point, it was related to women wearing pants in church or standing behind a pulpit to preach. On the other hand it was related to whether or not someone can have a glass of wine or watch a certain movie. All microscope issues. But, it should not be surprising, for the Pharisees, Scribes and Teachers of the Law were experts in microscope issues. More often than not, you will find them coming to Jesus to “test” Him about some microscopic issue.

We have entered a new day, a new era, a new place in the spirit of God. This does not mean that we ignore the microscope issues in our own lives, but we must not nit pick them in other people’s lives. I tell people, “I am a full time job.” Meaning, it is a full time job for me to remain in obedience to what God has called me to do, I do not have time to put a microscope on the issues in your life. However, in this new era, we are seeing through a telescope. Because of this new era that we have entered, we are hearing of people who, to some are sounding “new age” like, as they talk about “being caught up in the spirit” or “traveling in the spirit” or “seeing in the spirit”. This is going to be heard more and more, and we must guard against using a microscope on those who are seeing through a telescope.

With a telescope, you are able to see things in the sky that cannot be seen by the naked eye. The telescope does not look down at the small details, it looks up at the vast expanse of the sky and all that is “out there”. For many this shift from microscope to telescope is going to be very difficult. But, the telescope idea is very biblical. In the old testament, Ezekiel speaks of being picked up by his hair and brought in the spirit to another location (Ezekiel 8). We also hear of the apostle John being “caught up” in the spirit on the Lord’s day, in which he saw many things not visible to the naked eye (Revelation 1). And we cannot forget our beloved apostle Paul who said in 2 Corinthians 12, that he knew of a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago was caught up into the third heaven. Therefore, there is ample biblical precedence for this telescope perspective.

As we shift from a strong focus on the microscope ministry model to the telescope, we must remember that there is always room for error. Just as the Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus’ day erred in their microscope approach to the Law, some will err in their telescope ideas. This is why knowing the Word of God, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and walking in obedience to what God has called us to do is of utmost importance. In addition, we need God to restore the Word of God as the primary message coming out of our pulpits. This new day is full of life, love and adventure, we are not leaving the microscope behind, for there is a place for that, but we are adding to our generation a telescope view of the kingdom of God. This will not take away from us, but add to us, more revelation about who God is.

 

A Harvest Like No Other

Tags

Bob Jones, Harvest, Matthew 13, SOTU, Speaker of the House, Wheat and Chaff

“Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, there are four months and then the harvest? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields (countries), that they are white (ready/ripe) for harvest” (John 4:34-35).

Can you see the harvest? Not the billion-soul harvest that Bob Jones prophesied, but the harvest Jesus is speaking about? Jesus spoke about the harvest, which is why prophets speak about the harvest, but what harvest are we in right now? Can you see the current reality harvest, that Jesus is inviting us to lift up our eyes and see? Jesus says, this harvest is ripe right now, but if we don’t have the name of the harvest correct, we will miss the harvest that is ripe, right in front of us.  May I propose to you, that the harvest we are in right now is not the one Bob Jones prophesied, that one will follow this one.

Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.” The harvest Jesus is speaking about was a harvest of honor. Jesus wanted the disciples to see that the field was white for harvest. It was ready to be reaped, for the wheat (honor) and the tares (dishonor) had grown up together and were manifesting right before their eyes. Think about how the religious system of Jesus’ day treated Jesus. Were they honorable to Him as a fellow Rabbi or Teacher, let alone as the Son of God? Then look at the people who were following Him and hanging on His every sign, wonder, miracle and teaching? Can you see it?

The same harvest Jesus spoke of in His culture is the same harvest happening right now today in our culture. The harvest is ripe right now, the wheat and the tares have grown up together and the difference is obvious. Here are a couple of cultural examples of what I am saying. Superbowl 54 was a great example, we have 3 women singers, one at the beginning of the game, named Yolanda Adams, two others at half-time. Yolanda with class, grace and excellence honored the American flag as she sang our National Anthem. Then at half-time, we had two women, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, who came out scantily dressed and pole danced on national television. When women don’t want to be treated as sex objects by men, we cannot act like that. The demarcation was obvious. Now can you see the harvest?

Let me give you one more cultural example from this week. During the State of the Union address, the President was giving an update on what and how our country is doing. He spoke about America, not Republicans, not Democrats, nor Independents, he showed great honor for the Country of which he has been chosen to lead. Then there was a person sitting directly behind him, who visibly throughout the whole speech, showed disdain for him and the words he was speaking. Which ended in a grand finale presentation of the ripping up, on national television, the very speech he just shared. Now, can you see the harvest?

This is not a harvest of souls; this is a harvest of wheat and tares as it pertains to honor and dishonor. Honor and dishonor do not mature quickly, they take time to get to the level of disrespect or respect that is easily identifiable. We are in a harvest season, that is obvious, but not of souls, rather separating the wheat from the tares, the honorable from the dishonorable, the respectful from the disrespectful. When we are given a position of influence, from being a dad or mom, to being a President or Speaker of the House, we have a responsibility to show honor and if we can’t do that, we will be removed from that position of influence during the season of harvest.

In Matthew 13:30 speaking of the wheat and the tares, Jesus said, “Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, first gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” I believe we are about to see some bundling of the tares, that will then go through the refiner’s fire, so they can be purified of their dishonor. Then I believe we are going to see the gathering of the wheat into locations that will distribute them to seed our culture with honor again. For it is harvest time, not of souls, but of wheat and tares, for this is a harvest like no other. Once this harvest is complete, get ready, for the billion-soul harvest Bob Jones prophesied will be ripe and ready for harvesting.