Morning Reading: Luke 20.27-40 (NLT) – like angels

Reading: Luke 20.27-40 (NLT)

Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees — religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: “Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name. Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. So the second brother married the widow, but he also died. Then the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them, who died without children. Finally, the woman also died. So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her!”

Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.

“But now, as to whether the dead will be raised — even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.”

“Well said, Teacher!” remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there. And then no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Prayer: Lord Jesus – What will it be like in heaven… in the presence of the living God? What will it be like in your presence at the throne of grace… to see you face to face? What will it be like to see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob… to see the prophets and apostles… to see the saints and angels… to see my loved ones who loved you? What will it be like to have a new resurrection body… no more pain, no more heartache, no more tears, no more death and dying? What will it be like in a place filled with your Light and Life… filled with unspeakable joy? I can only imagine.

Spiritual Song: “I Can Only Imagine” – Mercy Me & London Symphony Orchestra

The Barna Group – How Post-Christian is U.S. Society?

The Barna Group – How Post-Christian is U.S. Society?.

Based on Barna’s aggregate metric, nearly two-fifths of the nation’s adult population (37%) qualifies as post-Christian. This includes 9% of Americans who are highly post-Christian—lacking engagement in 80% or more of the measures of belief, practice or commitment. And another one-quarter is moderately post-Christian (28%), without engaging at least 60% of the factors.

Barna’s study includes a ranking of the nation’s largest 96 markets, from most to least post-Christian. The big picture is that the leading post-Christian markets are in the Northeast and in the West. The gap between the most post-Christian city (Albany, NY) and least (Shreveport, LA) is 63% to 12%, respectively. These city-by-city rankings can be found at the company’s new website www.cities.barna.org.

April 15, 2013 – The rise of the so-called “Nones”—the increasing percentage of adults who claim no religious affiliation—has been a much-discussed trend in American religion. Is the nation moving away from Christianity and other forms of conventional faith? To provide insight on this topic, Barna Group analyzed 42,855 interviews conducted in recent years, looking at 15 different measures of non-religiosity. In other words, the research explores the emerging post-Christian landscape of the nation.

Metrics of Post-Christian Culture
Currently, more than seven out of 10 adults describe themselves as “Christian” and more than six out of 10 Americans say they are “deeply spiritual.” Yet, just how deep do these labels go?

To shed light on this, the Barna team created an aggregate metric of post-Christian culture based upon 15 different measures of identity, belief and behavior. To qualify as post-Christian, individuals met 60% or more of the factors (nine or more out of 15 criteria). Highly post-Christian individuals met 80% or more of the factors (12 or more of these 15 criteria). These 15 factors are shown in the infographic below.

David Kinnaman, president and majority owner of Barna Group, explains the reasoning behind the post-Christian metric. “First, we wanted to expand the scope of secularization beyond what people call themselves. Faith-oriented self-descriptions are fine, but they are really only skin-deep in terms of understanding faith. In addition to identity, we also wanted to account for two other critical aspects of faith: belief as well as behavior.

“For decades, our research shows the variations of asking people about faith. For example, many self-described atheists also claim to pray to a deity. Long-time churchgoers often lack basic orthodox beliefs. People who effortlessly self-describe as ‘Christian’ may live like practical atheists in most other parts of their lives. Continue reading “The Barna Group – How Post-Christian is U.S. Society?” →

Morning Reading: Luke 20:20-26 NLT – taxing trickery

Reading: Luke 20:20-26 NLT

Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus.

“Teacher,” they said, “we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

He saw through their trickery and said, “Show me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

“Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent.

Prayer: Lord Jesus – I confess that I resent every penny I pay in taxes… not on religious grounds, but on moral grounds. I hate feeding the lying, duplicitous, self-serving snakes running my government who are getting fat at the public trough. Yes, I realize that it’s always been so… and particularly in your day… but it doesn’t make it easier for me. When tax day rolls around, I am left with a profound sadness at the state of affairs in my country. Please forgive me where I am wrong… and change my heart.

Holy Spirit – Help me to pray for my country and its leadership. Give expression to the longings of my heart that words cannot express. And keep me faithful in prayer.

Heavenly Father – It’s all in your hands… my life… my family… my country… and this world in which I live. Work your perfect will through it all… and give me the grace to accept what comes… one day at a time. I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen .

Hymn: “God bless America” – Irving Berlin

Morning Reading: Luke 20:9-19 NLT – the cornerstone

Reading: Luke 20:9-19 NLT

Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed. A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away.

“‘What will I do?’ the owner asked himself. ‘I know! I’ll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.’

The Corner Stone James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). — The Corner Stone
James Tissot (French, 1836-1902).

“But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him.

“What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.”

“How terrible that such a thing should ever happen,” his listeners protested.

Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what does this Scripture mean? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

Prayer: Lord Jesus – My hope… my life… is built on your blood and righteousness – I trust in you alone. Your promises… your unchanging grace… support me when everything else around me collapses. Melt me… mold me… fill me… use me. And when you return, may I be found a faithful servant – clothed in your righteousness – ready and able to enter into the fullness of your joy. I ask it for your name’s sake. Amen.

Hymn: “In Christ Alone” – Getty and Townend

Please pray for Ethiopian Christians – World Watch List #15

Peanut Gallery: Ethiopia has considered itself a Christian country since the fourth century, and its Christian roots are sometimes traced back to the Ethiopian eunuch who met Philip on the road while reading the book of Isaiah (Acts 8:26-40). Today it is the only Christian-majority country in the Horn of Africa, surrounded by a “sea” of Islam. (Barnabas Fund)

The source of persecution is twofold: the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (hostility towards the growing Protestant Christian minority) and Islamic extremistism (hostility towards all Christians).
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ETHIOPIA (Wikipedia)

Population: 86.5 million (57 million Christians)
Main Religion: Christianity (Orthodox) – see Christianity in Ethiopia (Wikipedia)
Source of Persecution: Ecclesiastical arrogance (or Denominational elitism) and Islamic extremism
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For years, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has persecuted believers who have left their ranks or joined renewal movements. But Islamic extremism has now become the dominant source of persecution. Converts and ‘underground believers’ have to be very cautious to avoid being traced. Muslim fanatic group, Kewarjah, is repeatedly blamed for attacks against Christians in the south-west. A new law banning all religious messages and talks from public spaces is expected to bring a wave of restrictions against Christians.

Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (Place of Jesus)

PLEASE PRAY:

For secret believers; there have been some violent attacks within families.
Violence against Christian women often goes unreported. Pray for protection for Christian women.
Thank God that Open Doors has been able to supply Bibles and training, as well as bicycles to pastors.

PERSECUTION DYNAMICS

Ethiopia rose sharply on the World Watch List in 2012. Protestant churches are the fastest growing movement in the country. “Underground movements” both in EOC and Muslim-majority areas have been reported as making incredible progress in their work, and EOC and Islamism will continue to see them as a threat. In the short term it is likely that persecution of Christians will increase sharply – all the more so because extremist Islam in Ethiopia is fuelled by external sources. The unresolved conflict in the east of the country is also attracting some extremist groups like al-Shaabab from neighbouring Somalia.

(A destroyed Protestant church in Asendabo, 300 km (200 miles) west of the capital Addis Ababa, March 16, 2011, after Muslim youths attacked Christians/Aaron Maasho )

Hostilities take different forms. There are the ‘normal’ hostilities represented by significant pressure in private and church life. Converts and almost all ‘underground believers’ have to take maximum care to avoid being traced. The level of violence is medium, although it is likely that several forms of physical violence are underreported, in particular, violence against Christian women. A church leader was stabbed to death by Muslims six hours’ walk from his home village in Western Ethiopia. Muslims singled out the leader because of his active role in evangelism and discipleship services in a newly started church.

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