In Response

I received this in an email today... Click Here

I decided I would keep the sender anonymous, but respond openly.

Dear Sender,

I knew as soon as I read, "I love Calvary Chapel," that there would be a "But" or "However" soon to follow. Be that as it may, I must admit that I have at times pondered the very same things that you write of and I do appreciate that you clarified some of your remarks as being generalities.

I've been a part of Calvary for some time now and have had opportunity to visit many Calvary Chapel's; I've met a great number of men and women that passionately love the Lord and are stepping out into new ground all the time. As I have traveled among the Calvary circles I have found an interesting trend, a group of people, like yourself, that have "grown away from Calvary." You've learnt so much at the feet of great pastor/teachers that happen to be from Calvary and then it is as if one day you awake with the thought, "They're keeping something from me, they're holding me back." Where does such a thought come from, is it of God? I sincerely doubt it.

Often as I prod a bit deeper with some probing questions I find that most who feel as you do have been reading titles written by revivalists or reformists. You've acquired some new knowledge from your reading that Chuck doesn't seem to talk about, or rather speaks of as being divergent from Calvary's distinctive or hermeneutic understanding.

So you believe in God's sovereignty, so does Calvary Chapel, the last time I checked. However, we also believe in the freewill of man; the Bible, as I read it, seems to teach both. You see, as I mentioned before, I've considered the very same thoughts that you now dwell upon, especially as I read John MacArthur's "The Gospel According to Jesus" a few years ago. An interesting thing happened as I read that book and flipped through some others like it; my heart grew critical towards others in the body of Christ and I found myself seeking fellowship with likeminded people. It isn't difficult to find likeminded people when you are critically minded (no offence), walk in to any church and you'll no doubt find them... or perhaps they'll find you.

It was a bit of a surprise that you ended your letter with "READ EPH. 4:10-17;" that just so happens to be the passage that the Lord used to call me into vocational ministry 7 years ago. But I am glad that you brought this passage up, because I believe the Lord would have a word for you from that text.

God gave some apostles (I'd encourage you to do a deep word study on that word, for your interpretation of it is not correct), prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for a very specific purpose. Their calling and mission is to equip the saints for the working out of the ministry of God and to build up the body of Christ. God uses these men to lead sinners into a single, unified faith in God and a deeper and precise knowledge of His Son.

One of the things that I respect about Chuck Smith (and Calvary Chapel) is that he has simply taught the Word, which has led me to a stronger faith and a truer knowledge of who God is. My challenge and encouragement to you, in light of your letter, would be to set aside other books for a time and only read and study God's Word.

May the Father of Glory grant unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.

Blessings,
Miles

The Iran Equation

Over the last several days I have been reading quite a bit about Iran (modern Persia). Perhaps you've been following the latest with Ahmadinejad (the current President of Iran); he is quite a character. Ok, so quite a character does not even begin to describe it, his ramblings reveal a Hitler like madman.

What ought the world do with such a leader? Most definitely everyone has an opinion; while driving home this afternoon I turned my radio to the AM dial to hear a bit of one man's (Michael Savage) opinion. It is his view that the US and Israel must preemptively attack Iran, with the strongest resolve.

In his State of the Union address in 2002 President George W. Bush declared, "Some governments will be timid in the face of terror; and make no mistake about it: if they do not act, America will." Then, 4 months after September 11th, his comments were applauded, now 4 years later it appears that rhetoric has changed. The 2002 State of the Union was the famed "Axis of Evil" speech; the President named Iraq, Iran and North Korea saying...

States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger. They could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match their hatred. They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the United States. In any of these cases, the price of indifference would be catastrophic.

The price of indifference would be catastrophic, is there a catastrophe in the making? Four years ago it was said...

We'll be deliberate, yet time is not on our side. I will not wait on events, while dangers gather. I will not stand by, as peril draws closer and closer. The United States of America will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons.

A long Standing ovation followed those words 4 years ago, will we stand now when it matters? There is no doubt in my mind that a war plan was drafted with Iran in mind long ago, I'd not be surprised if Iraq were the staging front for that fight. Even now as I write, our nation is recalling Marines to that front. Indifference and delay could very well prove catastrophic. Has the hook been set in the jaw of Meshech, Tubal, Persia, Ethopia, Libya, Gomer and Togarmah? If so, will America have much to say? Perhaps we're overextended keeping Babylon at bay.

Troublesome Times

It is most definitely interesting looking at the current events of the world today... The top stories on google news at this moment all have to do with the Middle East. It kind of reminds me of Zechariah 12 and 14; there God declares that Jerusalem will be a "cup of trembling" to the world and a "burdensome stone." Zechariah 14 goes on to say that all nations will be gathered together to Jerusalem for battle. I don't know that we have seen the full fulfillment of these prophecies quite yet, but we are truly living in interesting and troublesome times.

As per the UN ceasefire agreement there is to be a UN peacekeeping force deployed to Southern Lebanon. 15,000 UN troops are to join 15,000 Lebanese soldiers to create a buffer between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Today the EU said that they would commit 7,000 troops to the UN (1/2 of the force called for) but also stated their belief that the peacekeeping mission must have a "strong Muslim component to give it credibility." The UN has agreed with the EU on this point. But I wonder, wasn't a "Strong Muslim component" the initial problem in Southern Lebanon? Furthermore, how could a component of Muslim soldiers defend a border with a State [Israel] that they do not recognize?

The problems in the Middle East are truly puzzling, even for those on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and all the others. One thing is for certain, there will be no peace in the Middle East... until the Prince of Peace stands upon the Mount of Olives.

The Day...