answered prayer

Today my daughter, Gaby, Was late getting up. I took her to school. We got there at the sound of the bell. After her second period, she sent me a text message saying that she was super sick. Would I come pick her up? Before I could send her one back, I got another one. It said that she needed to stay to take a math test. Would I pray for her? I sent a prayer text. God honored it, and at lunch time I got another text telling me that she was fine.

Angels singing above

Yesterday evening I was sitting at my desk, writing out checks and enjoying the aroma of chicken and noodles that were cooking upstairs. Soon something not so usual occurred. I heard angelic voices being raised in song. The sweet sounds uplifted my spirits at the end of this day. After a song or two the singing stopped. But the voices didn't they just went into a fast kind of twittering conversation, interspersed with giggles and laughter. Then the wonderful, delightful singing resumed, and the joy swelled in my heart, once again! This cycle went on for several times, and then stopped. I heard the door upstairs open and close. I went upstairs to find my wife cooking dinner in the kitchen. Gaby and several friends were sitting in the great room talking.
Now I understood the enchanting sounds that I heard. Gaby and eight friends were practicing for their ensemble performance for Bothell High School.
In my life I have experienced many things. I have received hundreds of trophies for driving my sports car fast, have made exciting business deals, have traveled to distant lands, have done things that are unspeakable. But nothing compares to the feeling and sense of peace and joy that I was given yesterday evening. I am so glad that I decided to marry and have children. I must thank the Lord for bearing with me for decades. He makes it all worthwhile in those special moments.

praying in tongues

Glossolalia, speaking in tongues, is often debated for what it is or isn’t--whether it is an authentic manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the Christian’s life or bogus religious mumbo-jumbo. Rarely is it looked at for what it does for the believer. A pilot study done by Timothy Arthur Jones in partial fulfillment of a Masters Degree in Psychology at the University of Idaho, looked at the brainwave activity of Christians who prayed in tongues.

The experiment measured the electrical activity of both sides of the brain while the Christians were resting, then praying in tongues, then resting.
The study looked at three different types of brainwaves: alpha, beta, and theta.
In simple terms, alpha brain waves are found during periods of relaxation with eyes closed, but still in awake state. They are thought to represent the activity of the brain in an idle state. Beta rhythm are associated with normal waking consciousness (above 12 Hz). They are associated with active, busy, or anxious thinking and active concentration. Theta rhythms are normally absent in healthy awake adults. Theta waves are normally present in adults just before sleep, what is referred to as the twilight state: between consciousness and sleep. It is associated with increased creativity, stress reduction, learning enhancement, and an awakening of intuition and other extrasensory perception skills.

Findings: The most interesting finding was that a significant increase in theta waves was found during the prayer period.

Interpretation:The study suggests that the Christian that prays in an other tongues has the opportunity to fulfill what is being referred to in I Corinthians 14:4: that is, to build himself up, to find answers that require original and creative thinking.

“He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself.” (I Corinthians 14:4).
ed·i·fy:
1) to instruct or improve spiritually...
2) archaic a: build b: establish
to instruct and improve especially in moral and religious knowledge : uplift ; also : enlighten , inform

So the real question about speaking in tongues is not whether it is a known language or not or whether it is for the modern day Christian, but rather, can it have benefit to the believer today and in if so, how? This study opens some thought provoking possibilities that should be addressed further.

Christianity, The President, and Abortion

The opening remarks of Casey Treat in first service this mornin, January 11, 2009, seem to be particularly relevant to our times. With a major change in the presidency and economic problems there is much room for negativity and reduction of faith. A friend from my old church in Monroe called me this morning. He asked me if I thought that the president elect might be the anti-Christ. I tried to make the point that the government is of this world and the Lord’s is of the heart.
I asked him why he thought that Obama might be the anti-Christ. He replied that Obama supports abortion. He also asked if any democrat can be a Christian? After the election Dutch Sheets says that he is quite confident that the election of Barack Obama was definitely not God’s will. http://www.dutchsheets.org/index.cfm. He seems to base this on the premise that Mr. Obama supports abortion. when I listened to Obama it seems to me that he knows that abortion is not the best option. It seems to me that President -elect Obama would like to enhance the life options, rather than returning to wire coat hanger abortions.
Let’s not just look at the particular issue of abortions, but the entire issue about a Christian individuals relationship to the Government. The fate of new born or unborn are issues that are of intense opinions thought out our society. This issue causes many to break laws and to lose their inner peace. look at those who are in prison now for the destruction of Abortion clinics. The opposition also shows much anger about the issue. Decades ago, I visited a friend of mine, Bill Warren. He was a photographer. When I met him he was very proud of his latest assignment. he had made the cover of Newsweek Magazine. It was a collage of shots that he had taken at some abortion protests. At that time abortions were illegal. Women were dying from ill performed abortions. Today almost forty years later I can still feel the anger of the demonstrators.
     These events have caused me to look at these issues in light of the Bible. After the election I looked up the verse about government in Romans 13:1-5.

1. Every person must be subject to the governing authorities, for no authority exists except by God's permission. 

2. The existing authorities have been established by God, so that whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has established, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For the authorities are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to live without being afraid of the authorities? Then do what is right, and you will receive their approval.
4 For they are God's servants working for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for it is not without reason that they bear the sword. Indeed, they are God's servants to execute wrath on anyone who does wrong.
5 Therefore, it is necessary for you to be subject, not only because of God's wrath but also because of your own conscience. ISV
One interesting point about the Romans of the Biblical era was the way they handled a birth in a family. The baby would be presented to Pater Familias, the family head, who would decide the fate of the newborn. At the whim of the Pater Familias the baby would be taken to the forest and abandoned. There is archaeological evidence that some babies were actually placed on the trash heaps and never made it to the woods. If Paul admonished the Romans to obey the government and they were to pray for their leaders and to pay tribute. How can it be any thing other for us? God’s plan for us is peace. We may not see it in the world, but peace in our hearts, now!
I would like to comment about the Pastor that led President-elect Obama to the Lord, and to whose church Obama attended for many years. maybe you have seen the press videos of the Pastor ranting. Sometimes people vent. Does any Christian always have God’s Peace and His mind? I think that it would be almost impossible for anyone born in white middle class America to understand the Black experience in America. This certainly was made abundantly true for me one night in the mid sixties.
I had made friend a when I was working on the minuteman guidance system at the aircraft factory. His last name was the same as mine. We would go out at lunch time and ride our motorcycles together. He had a full dress Harley. I had a 250 rice burnin Yamaha. His first name was Vinsone, or Vinnie to me. One day he invited me to a party at his place. His place was in Watts, California. Vinnie was Black. It was only a year or two since Watts had burned the first time. So there I was, at a place that looked something like a plain old apartment complex, two story stucco sided buildings with lawns in between the building and close line poles in the lawns. At that time Vinnie chained his Full Dress Harley to a steel clothes line pole in the lawn in front of his apartment. While Vinnie's girl friend was trying to teach me to dance, Vinnie's brother burst in the front door and said that some guys were scheming to steal his bike. So, I said, “Let’s call the cops.” No response, only a heavy silence hung in the room as all eyes turned to look at the dumb white boy, me. So finally, it dawned me that in that part of town, in the local inhabitants minds, the cops weren't friends, allies or protectors, but something else.
Vinnie opened the closet by the front door and reached for the chains and baseball bats that were kept there. So, I said, “Let’s get ‘em.” I too reached for the goodies in the closet. Vinnie grabbed my arm and told me to stay there. It was good advice that kept my obit out of the Garden Grove paper. The guys went out without me, they were not gone long. When they returned they said it was all cool now. That night made me eventually realize that I am just a dumb white boy from the suburbs. As a white boy from the 'burbs I realize that I cannot, with the natural mind, understand another man's framework of thoughts and experiences. 

So how can I judge the stance or position of another person's walk with the Lord? Is He finished with me yet? Is He finished with you yet? A persons heart is only too easy to be deceived. The walk with the Lord, for many, is long and perhaps rocky. I can only think of the years that I walked in an abusive nature, while thinking that I was close to perfection.
It is with this background that when I saw Obama’s Pastor go verbally ballistic, ranting about this country, I thought, "This man has a lot to vent." Although, only God can know a man’s heart, I believe that someday Barack’s Pastor, Rev. Wright,  Barack and I will all be in heaven.

Today I posted a comment to president elect Obama's economic team. It is great way to express my thoughts. His web change.gov gives us access to many different layers of his administration. It seems to be a practical way to give "Power to the People." Empower yourself, It even feels good! Below is what I what sent them.  

I liked where Jason Furman spoke about something that is lasting that TRANSFORMS OUR ECONOMY FOR THE LONG TERM. FDR made long term changes when he electrified our country. We in the West still reap the benefits of the Columbia Project with cheap power. Other areas have similar projects. The South west has Boulder Dam, the TVA still provides power to a large area.
We need to change from Carbonaesous fuel to others. I have done much research and believe that hydrogen is a viable path. Make more electricity from wind, solar, tidal, and geothermal. Convert that at a local level to H2 hydrogen. This has hugh advantages over our present use of fossil fuels. One is the low,almost no environmental impact, the other is that it is produced solely by us. GM has done a study saying that fueling stations to serve a hugh majority of drivers can be built for 15 billon dollars. Didn't Exxon have profits in excess of 40 billion in 2006? Yet they have done virtually nothing for change. I hope that you act to change this fossilized thinking.

Tim Jones
tinysview.blogspot.com
www.TimandKimberlyJones.com

Myths of the Church #2

Yesterday I was telling a friend from our church that I had an appointment to discuss partnering with New Horizon Ministries. NHM reaches out to young street people. My friend said that they won't listen. That is the myth! That they won't listen.   

I still remember a time, about fifty years ago now, when my step mother told me that Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were very rare because they were active in Hollywood's Motion Picture industry and still married. They were Christians. Years later, that witness spoke to me, even though it didn't appear that I was listening when the story was told.

My part, and other Christians, is to reach out with the Love of God. That is the end of our responsibility. Those receiving God's Love, either spoken or demonstrated, may appear to not listen or to receive. But sometimes testimony takes time and goes circuitous routes. One thing is for sure, if the words aren't spoken, they will not be able to hear. My choice is give, and not withhold, give the chance that once was given to me. 

Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

It becomes apparent that it is necessary to be speaking the word of the Lord. 

Myths of the Church

Years ago I had a preacher talking to me, while I was drunk. When I tried to respond to him, he threw up his hands, saying that he couldn't talk to me, he was only talking to the alcohol. I have not had any alcohol for many years now. I still hear preachers say that they can't talk to people that have been drinking or are on drugs.

Two things make me disagree with this statement. The first was experience, the second is the Word of God. Decades ago when I was a long hair, not the classical musician type, but the other more radical type. I was homeless, but was crashing at a friend's house. He left one day to go to a park and get stoned on acid. When he came back he had a quizzical look on his face. He stated that he had gotten stoned, and as he sat there in the park a man came up to him and told him about Jesus and the Bible. He just commented that it all made sense. 

In Isa 55:10-11 The word says,"For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens, and return not there again, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. 

Since God's Word is His Word, I would think that if you are only speaking to the alcohol then you are only speaking your own words. But if you are speaking God's Word, it will accomplish God's purpose. As it did when the man in the park spoke to the stoner.