as i travel thru ThisPilgrimLand

BOOK GIVEAWAY: Win One of Two Free and Signed Copies of J.D. Masterson’s “The Scorpion’s Sting”

J.D. Masterson has teamed up with As I Travel Thru This Pilgrim Land’s readers to present you with an opportunity to claim a free and signed copy of Masterson’s new book The Scorpion’s Sting.   This is the first in what is planned to be a series of books written about the fictional character Magdalena Lasige.  To win:

• 1.  Leave a comment in the comment section of this posting
• 2. In the comment, leave your name
• 3.  In the comment, tell if you prefer reading fiction or non-fiction
• 4.  Make sure you leave a valid e-mail address in the form in order to receive confirmation if you win one of the two copies.
• 5.  All entries must be received by Dec. 14, 2010.

From the book’s cover:

“Dr. Magdalena LaSige, a thirty-three-year old criminal archepsychologist, throws herself headfirst into finding a kidnapped Carmelite nun-the sister of her former professor, the handsome and wealthy Dr. Peter Janus.  She is given ancient pictures and symbols sent from the kidnappers, clues in an archetypal trail of deceit.  The Pyramids of Giza, DNA codes, constellations, medicine, money-these symbols. stories. and legends all combine to challenge everything Magdalena has taken for granted as truth.  And the truth seems to be the last thing Dr. Janus wants to discuss.  What is his connection with the pharmaceutical companies he consults for, and how does that play into the kidnapping? Is the “scorpion’s sting” a medical project or something more sinister?  Painfully aware of her limitations, Magdalena uncovers religious, medical, and governmental lies while racing against time.  Will she solve the mystery, or will the truth behind the deceptions leave Magdalena paralyzed by the scorpion’s sting?”

ABOUT J.D. MASTERSON:  Masterson is a Ph.D hematology/oncology child psychologist. After working with terminally ill children and their families, J.D. left the psychology profession due to the control of managed care vs. patient care and became a financial advisor, then later a vice president of a leading Northeastern bank.  The author’s eyes were forced open upon observing atrocities involving large conglomerate falsities.  Magdalena’s stories expose them so readers can learn the truth. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

To learn more about Masterson and his work, visit www.jdmasterson.com

TO ENTER TO WIN ONE OF TWO FREE SIGNED COPIES OF THE SCORPIONS STING DO THE FOLLOWING:

• 1.  Leave a comment in the comment section of this posting
• 2. In the comment, leave your name
• 3.  In the comment, tell if you prefer reading fiction or non-fiction
• 4.  Make sure you leave a valid e-mail address in the form in order to receive confirmation if you win one of the two copies.
• 5.  All entries must be received by Dec. 14, 2010.

Good luck!!!

BOOK REVIEW: “Economy of Love” by Relational Tithe, w/ video by Shane Claiborne

Are Christians called on to love and serve one another?  Yes.  Are Christian called to provide help to those around them who are needy? Yes.  Are Christians called to teach and preach a social gospel? No certainly not.

If you want a good study of the social gospel pick up Economy of Love, a study guide with video commentary by Shane Claiborne.  The message is a good one I believe.  Christians do need to be doing more to reach out to the world around us.  We need to think more seriously about Christ’s parable of “doing for the least of these.”  All of this is good, good, good and this book puts forth an idea that by engaging these people and one another with financial sharing, we build a relationship.  But is it a Christian relationship?

This is my complaint with books such as this.  The message is that there is opportunity to save souls simply by doing good deeds for people.  I have found the same problem with David Platt’s Radical that I am also currently reading (although Platt seems to have some realization and focus on Christ’s saving grace in his book).  I disagree with this assumption.

My fear with this book is that someone will pick it up and begin to believe that if they simply start telling the members of their church that in order to be a better church, they all have to give more, that God will bless them and that they are living up to Christ’s standard.  Anytime someone begin throwing around the word “tithe” my ears go up and this book is a resource of Relational Tithe.  There is a danger when combining Old Testament laws with New Testament salvation principles.  Someone can give all that they want, but if not done in the name of Christ and gladly and in order to open a door to teach someone the true gospel, then that giving is in vain.

That seems to be what is lost in this book and DVD.  Christian giving, a true Christian work, is an outflow of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in people that is placed there only by the hearing of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Sure, a church that goes out and gives everything they have to the poor and feeds the hungry around them may end up with more people in church because they want the benefits (financial) of the church.  However, if once they get there, they only hear a message of the social gospel, the very people with nothing to give and to whom has been given are going to feel lost, not based on the fact that they have been convicted of sins, but because, after all, they are not contributing to the kingdom with any sort of finance.  What would we be setting up then?

My belief is that TRUE Christian giving IS taking place.  We rarely know about it because those who do so rarely brag or write books about their work.  That’s what makes it true and Christian.  They do not go forward asking others to follow their examples.  No, they go forward teaching them to follow Christ, the one who provided them the example.  This books is, by it’s own admittance, an experiment.  I believe rather than experimenting, we go back to teaching the gospel of Christ alone.  From that, in my humble opinion and understanding of scripture, will more Christian unity, relationship, and giving come forward, we just may never see or hear about it.  Do we confuse, as Economy of Love proposes, our wants with our needs? Yes, but that’s old news.  Do we need any other kind of program or guide other than scripture to resolve this problem?  No.  I would not recommend Economy of Love.

There is No Accountability

The latest Barna Research points to the fact that there is no longer any Christian accountability in today’s American churches. Make quick note that this is in direct opposition to the New Testament model for Christians. Hebrews 13:17 seems to point to the fact that the spiritual leaders are to hold their folds spiritually accountable.

Yet, according to the Barna survey, only 5% of church-going American Christians attend a church in which ANYONE does ANYTHING to hold them accountable for either learning the Bible or applying Biblical knowledge and principles to one’s life. 

I will allow the reader to draw their own conclusions from the research but will quote Barna’s summary of the research. 

“One of the cornerstones of the biblical concept of community is that of mutual accountability. But Americans these days cherish privacy and freedom to the extent that the very idea of being held accountable by others—even those with their best interests in mind, or who have a legal or spiritual authority to do so—is considered inappropriate, antiquated and rigid. With a large majority of Christian churches proclaiming that people should know, trust and obey all of the behavioral principles taught in the Bible, overlooking a principle as foundational as accountability breeds even more public confusion about scriptural authority and faith-based community, as well as personal behavioral responsibility.”

Read the article in full here or by clicking the image above (highly recommended).

Family Movie Night Returning

It’s that time of the year.  High school football is over.  Friday nights are open.  What is a family to do if they are on a budget and looking to find things close to home to do.  Well, luckily, Family Movie Night is returning to NBC on Friday nights starting Dec. 3.  The first movie they will be showing is titled A Walk In My Shoes.  I would encourage you to check out the trailer below and tune in when the movie airs on Dec. 3 at 7:00 pm CST to show one of the major television networks out there that families are willing to watch and support their efforts to be somewhat family friendly at times.  The trailer is below.

A Walk In My Shoes – 2:33 TRLR from Moms4FamilyTV.com on Vimeo.

Cookie Monster on SNL

I just thought this was too funny not to share.  What would happen if Cookie Monster hosted Saturday Night Live?  Here he shows us:

MEGA-grace

We live in an American society where we can get mega-anything.  We shop in Mega Marts.  We order mega-size soft drinks.  We have mega packs of toilet paper.  We have mega-everything.  When we think of the mega of anything, we imagine a very large amount of an item that we often want and/or need.  Often times, when you do the math, it is a better overall deal to buy the mega size of an item, making it appealing to those who try to be responsible shoppers. 
One of the things that true Christian converts thirst the most for though is grace.  The grace of God is the most popular commodity out there for any Christian.  Sadly, while we often pray for God’s grace, when he pours it down upon us, we forget to give him credit.  Yet we still thirst for it and the true convert desires to share it with others and point others to the access point of such, the cross of Jesus Christ. 

In Acts chapter 4, we read about a people receiving mega-grace.  If you read Acts 4, what one finds is that Peter and John have just escaped the grasp of those enemies of the cross who less than two months before have crucified the Lord Christ.  Following this dangerous situation, the scripture tells us that Peter and John ran to be with Christian converts that the scripture calls “their own” in the KJV and “their friends” in the ESV. 

What happens next in this account of the churches establishment is amazing to me because I find it to be such a rare occurrence around today’s Christians.  What did they do?  Verses 24-30 of Acts 4 tells us that they prayed.  In one heart and one mind, these “own” of Peter and John prayed.  Look at what they prayed for though. 

“they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, ²⁵who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

   “‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
   and the peoples plot in vain?
²⁶The kings of the earth set themselves,
   and the rulers were gathered together,
   against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

 ²⁷for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, ²⁸to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. ²⁹And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, ³⁰while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

They prayed a prayer to their sovereign God that he would note the threats and acts of their enemies who wished to stamp out the gospel and would grant them one gift.  THEY PRAYED FOR BOLDNESS TO STAND UP AND TEACH THE GOSPEL.  What courage these people had.  What love of Christ they must have possessed.  What an example these people are for us.  When facing death in the name of Christ, these early Christians had the audacity to pray to their God to give them boldness, the freedom of speech, to stand up and tell others about a crucified, risen, and living savior.  Yet today, we can’t even find time to have a devotional with our own children at home.  How sad and apathetic we have become. 

God answered their prayer.  He answered it immediately and showed His power by sending the Holy Spirit with such force that scripture tells us it literally shook the place in which they were meeting.  Not only that though, the Lord answered their prayer by giving them all one heart and soul as well as charitable hearts to combine their possessions for the name of Christ and His gospel. 

To me though, the best gift was the grace God sent upon them.  Through their prayer, the Lord gave the apostles great power and boldness to continue in their dangerous mission of spreading the gospel of Christ.  Yet, He also gave them something else.  He gave them mega-grace.  The KJV says He gave them “abundant” grace.  The Greek word used here is megas.  We get our English root mega from this prefix and that is what the Lord granted to these early Christians.  Mega-grace. Praying for boldness to teach the gospel equals God pouring out MEGA-GRACE. 

May the Lord grant all of us the desire and will to pray for such boldness and the grace to more fervently and willingly carry out the great commission we have been charged with.   

Ed Young Wants Your Routing #

Ed Young, in the news a great deal in the past year regarding his lavish lifestyle, has devised a wonderful way to help the members of his congregation tithe (note, that’s the law, not gospel).  He just wants your rouing number and checking accoung number so that you can directly deposit your tithe.  Watch the video below to see what is happening at Young’s “church.” 

As I watched, I had thoughts about what I would be thinking while he was saying this if I was in that audience.  Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Ed Young Goes After Access to Bank Accounts of Church Members from FBCJax Watchdog on Vimeo.