The Gospel According to Mr. Potato Head

    The Toy Story movies are innocent enough and a pleasant diversion from the responsibilities of adulthood. Having no TV has not cured me of a fun film and I’m still a visual person. The Bible says that without a vision the people perish and since our thoughts are not His thoughts, it’s only natural that we would twist the concept to our own liking. One of the joys of imagination is that it gets away from us to the point of ultimate obsession or fills a void with momentary inspiration. I’ve been blessed with both extremes and I will attempt to put a face on it for you. No pun intended.

    It is to the pastime of children, who are learning to craft an expression, a demeanor they might be stuck with all their life, that I present the changing view of the person commonly known as Mr. Potato Head. Now that he is in the Church he prefers to be known as Brother Potato Head; not to be confused with Pastor Potato Head who has a formal background in the study of Potato Hermeneutic Development. That’s what his PHD stands for. In order to stay on track we’ll avoid going into detail about his starchy tuber home life, his sweet potato and the tater tots. This may be a delightful comparison but my theological spin on these particular Spudsters is limited.

    Imagine if you will first thing on Sunday morning waking up to a blank expression. With no apparent reflection in the mirror and no clue as to how to put on a reasonable testimony of the truth, we’ll just have to sort through a collection of add on items that should cover the situation until after the benediction. Then we can replace the outward appearance with a more realistic expression of life beyond the church parking lot as we put on an appropriate phony face. The little ears that we had at 10 am are removed and an appropriate large set is put into place to capture the essence of gossip, opinion and a new CD just released by The Dipsy Chips. The drowsy eyes of the post offering sermon is now changed to a big colorful set of attentive peepers that you pop in to watch your favorite Sunday afternoon sports event. The nose that has no capacity to discern between religious flatulence and a fragrant fellowship with God, has been replaced with huge garage sized nostrils that are drawn away to the aroma of a false prophet’s promise. I could go on and on about the replaceable mouth that speaks one thing at the Bible study and another thing at the water cooler and the flexible hands that are raised in the worship service but lowered in the handling of worldly goods and everyday business, but I won’t.

    One item that doesn’t come in the box with the Potato Head Disciple is the heart of the apparatus and not something to be toyed with. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.  Jer 17:9-10.  Keeping up appearances has always been a challenge and we have all been known to put on a front to cover an inner anxiety or hide a transgression from those around us. We fill the duplicitous orifice with a plastic plug; a convenient nonessential distraction until the day the Holy Spirit or a close friend points out the disguise. You can fool church people most of the time but you can’t fool God at all and as we come to terms with true repentance we will eventually assume a suitable expression that will remain the same in every situation. Until that look is achieved there will always be numerous playful accessories and some assembly required.

  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.  Prov 6: 16-19

Whosoever Will... let him repeat after me?

Have you ever had to study for a doctrinal purity test? Getting re-certified for what is certifiably unnecessary is a tedious exercise but an impromptu inspection or a supposed quality controlled analysis is to be expected from time to time. When asked for the reason for the hope that is in us we are to have an answer or as Peter says; a defense. (1 Pe 3:15) As of late a brother has asked for a definitive layout for presenting the Gospel so as to meet his class criteria developed from a lengthy methodology associated with his understanding. I’m guessing no amount of reason, resource or scripture from any other perspective will satisfy him but I will make an attempt.

I admit I have no apparent notches on my gospel gun & have impressed very few by using the Four Spiritual Laws or Chick tract hermeneutics. A repeat after me prefab prayer without genuine repentance after being presented an incomplete or inadequate gospel holds little hope for salvation let alone a right understanding of spiritual matters. To convince a perspective convert that he can be saved by perusing a Cliffs Notes works based participation is at least the first stage of a potentially authentic deception. You’ll remember Jesus scolding the religious elitists for their worldwide evangelistic fervor, to bring a person to God (Matt 23:15) only to then make him into twice the child of hell that they themselves were. Promoting salvation via misapplication of truth procures a false conversion in its truest sense. I dare not compare myself to Jesus in any regard but the situation calls for at least an examination of the spirit of certain passages. Jesus was persistently challenged to the point of frustration as seen in Mark 8. We will believe you ‘if.’

 “And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.” Mk 8:11-12

A new generation of religious elitists (which in essence is of the same generation mentioned above) is with us today & often makes the same selective demands that Jesus refers to in Matthew 11. I say this to warn my readers that we eventually will have to know what hoop to avoid or choose when jumping is inevitable. Jesus elaborates further on such expectation manipulation in Matthew 11.

 “But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.” Matt 11:16-19

My brother, who requires a sign, has not been satisfied with the one I’m calling attention to. He played a tune & I would not dance; I’m expected to professionally weep at the funeral proceedings but I have no tears to manufacture. John the baptizer abstained from worldly comfort & was said to have a demon while Jesus drank wine & was called a drunken glutton. In other words… there may be no satisfactory response. Having butchered scripture in the past to prop up my then developing understanding I eventually learned to refrain from exhausting every arguable proof because scripture is alive to anyone who actively searches the whole counsel of God for himself. Entering a potentially diabolical exegesis can be avoided by remaining silent. I should do it more often.

 Anyone who wants to know the Lord in America today is without excuse & could find salvation in any scrap of scripture, hymn or life’s story & testimony. My friend says no; I must employ a method of systematically choosing verses (I too have picked a few cherries that apply) in the right order; a supposed one size fits all mechanism as it were. Torturing scripture into submission & beating the text into subjection relating to any given subject is not my mission… anymore. Since I have refused to apply the ‘correct’ combination it’s assumed I can’t open the lock. The point is there is no lock.

First of all… very few come to the Lord via advanced scholastic methods. If we are sensitive to the moment & are being led of His Spirit, the words will come & applicable verses recalled as needed. If I should miss or mess up a witnessing opportunity with a stranger then God will present another agent equipped to correct or repair any mistakes. No man’s salvation is contingent on how precise another man’s presentation is & it’s definitely not the crux of closing the eternal deal on any man’s soul. Cookie cutter conflict resolution & rehabilitation techniques have dominated the conversion scene as of late while inspiring a potentially spurious born again experience. Where do the catch & release converted of today’s ever enlarging numbers go & what becomes of them? Many of them are being assimilated into the void of a subtle apostasy. The attempt to lead a man to Christ sometimes takes years or minutes but the Lord is capable of bringing the gifted representative & the target of salvation together. It seems the fields are no longer as white for harvest as they once were & although God is capable of saving people with or without human contact we merely reinforce what God is germinating in the initiate by His Spirit. We’re well into that darkness that Jesus says will come when no man’s efforts will be fruitful. I would admonish anyone to continue to be a witness & preach if given opportunity but don’t stay in the dark about too many things for too long.

Rarely if ever did Jesus use the same tactic twice & no duplicated power points were used as teaching aids. Each new birth is unique too & treated individually as each disciple experiences the regenerating power of mercy, the grace of God & forgiveness of sin. One thing I know for sure is that cultural relevance is culturally irrelevant in the eternal perspective. No societal adjustments are needed; the gospel is the same throughout the entirety of scripture since the days of Able on down to those who are alive & remain when Jesus returns. Repent (upon notification of the righteous requirement of God’s law) & believe. Psalm 38 describes the totality of a sinner’s prayer & the beginning of an understanding of the gospel. The audio visuals of Psalm 19 state plainly that it’s the law of the Lord that converts the soul & His testimony makes the simplest person wise enough to recognize truth & everything after that is plain enough for salvation. Read, believe & obey.

I don’t expect every presentation to produce spontaneous comprehension & the ideal response, because unless the Lord prepares the heart of the recipient to the gospel prior to the salvation encounter, it could result in endless chatter; often leading to nothing more than initiation non grata. As for what to say to every person I meet, I will not know which direction the encounter goes until words are exchanged & hearts are opened to the moment. Besides; very few encounters ever go like the how to books describe. We all know what it’s like to be half heard & then find what’s repeated is not accurate. Look at Jn 20: 21-23. Some of us do the same thing when passing along what we think is important & whatever we take literally can get inadvertently redefined & even become our exclusive mission; to the exclusion of other aspects of the overall commands of Mark 16:15f. Please indulge (my commentary parenthesis) in this observation of the commission.

 “Go (leave the starting point) into all the world (simple to profound, elementary yet reasonably intelligent; computer communication friendly spheres included) & preach the gospel (the whole counsel of God) to every creature. (No not butterflies & fruit bats) He that believes (His word & your testimony) & is baptized (water optional in a few cases but the baptism referred to here is the Holy Spirit which is the power of God & comes with its own set of evidences) shall be saved; (from then forward & on many levels in this life) but he that believeth not (even after a lifetime of hearing & being witnessed to; unless maybe our presentation was a key factor) shall be damned. (Let’s not go there) And these signs shall follow them that believe: (believers do not seek for or follow after a sign) In my name (by power of intimacy through relationship) shall they cast out devils; (not meant to be an exclusive focus either) they shall speak with new tongues; (one application of that relates to developing a vocabulary obtained from absorbing scripture) They shall take up serpents; (Paul experienced this literally but a deeper application is obvious) and if they drink any deadly thing, (insert New Apostolic Reformation propaganda, new 501c3 mandates, Catholic mysticism & ecumenical occultism) it shall not hurt them; (another obvious meaning) they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.” Mark 16:15-18 Sample 2 Tim 4:20 for an interesting perspective; I witnessed the instantaneous & the miraculous but I have also agreed in faith while watching with many prayers, no cure & a long illness that ended in death with no literal recovery)

I haven’t personally done right by every single aspect of this extensive yet elementary process as laid out above; none of us have. Incorporated into the bottom line is the making of disciples by teaching them to observe “all things” according to Matt 28:19-20. When sin is in remission after repentance (Lk 24:47) that is the ‘sign’ that the gospel is alive & active. We know that according to Cor 12 there is as much diversity of gifts & callings as there are species of stars in space & we each have a place in the process. Paul said it best in my defense if I may make the comparison in 1 Cor 1:17. “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect…” He went on to say he only water baptized a few in his career & I’m guessing that those were expedient to the moment. Did the water baptismal mandate not apply to him? Of course it did. This is an example of a liberty that systematic factory outlet store evangelism will never comprehend; God is sovereign & he has His true emissaries in play everywhere. Since the theological landscape is as dark as it’s ever been I only have enough light for one more step, the next encounter & the next comment expressed in public. If I had to accommodate an answer on demand I would default to applying the following: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.” Mk 1:15

I hope to appease my new friend by the absence of my company as it would be consistent with the scriptures that apply specifically to this situation. We actually disagree on many other points & I don’t see us enjoying a true fellowship until I become accommodating. What does Amos 3:3 say? It says we are separate from one another by disagreement. Paul & Barnabas had a quarrel too & separated company. I hope this goes that well. Forgiveness of any offence should be easy as my brother has not caused any undue stress. I only pray his understanding will be renewed daily. Because he also is in the position of leadership I confronted him with a warning that I hope would be taken seriously as scripture prescribed in James 3:1. You the reader & I also must give an account of our own professorships. Amen?

In closing on a lighter note & to show a modem of taste, I chuckled when I first saw the verse below as it compares urinating to starting needless arguments so I will leave it there as there is nowhere else to go (no pun intended) & there’s nothing else to add but I’m sure that my attempt to clarify my understanding still needs work I’ll admit. Some write better than they talk but that’s a God given expression that is proportionately appropriate for the situation at hand. Having never been a gifted speaker as many can attest to, I hope to never fail to direct my written admonitions to those who think, are given to checking every reference & holding only to what is good & worth retaining. 1 Th 5:21

“The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.” Pro 17:14.
 twl

Marvel Much?

I always marvel at this time of year because of the spirit that is revealed in even the best of friends. We hide it well the rest of the year & it lies dormant until a holiday goose is killed & another ox is gored. Then an argument interrupts its silence & the worst of attitude is mistaken as goodwill to men. God says don’t learn the way of the heathen or practice their ways but over time many superstitions are mingled into church history & time has its way with us all. Paul gives grace freely in these matters seeing we are a collection of gentiles from many corners of customs & belief. Faithful Christians in every century picked up mannerisms & practices that a student of scripture finds appalling but in the Spirit of fellowship accepts to a degree. I can't do anything but bring attention to it. *Roman 14:5 should be enough for us to quietly go about our business but it's usually *Daniel 3:6 that will prevail. Someday soon it won’t matter anymore for all religious opposition will be compromised, political dissidents will be rooted out & methodically silenced. Many will recant & sign on to the new agenda as a result. Some will be disposed of in a festive manner & for a season there will be gifts exchanged & worldwide celebration just like in *Rev 11:10. *One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Rom 14:5 *And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Dan 3:6 *And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. Rev 11:10

This is Just What “X”-mas Means to Me

The exercise of “X”-mas which is cherished by so many evolved over time from a pagan practice as I discovered in the “X”-file. I found out that long ago when the heathens were in bloom, some disgusting behavior ruled the day. Some bizarre festivities came to be as a result of enduring those long cold months of the year. People became weary of being in the dark and soon after discovering fire the tribe began to assemble, mostly to stay warm. Eureka! It’s story time. Eventually the imagination began to gel into all kinds of superstitious rituals and one of them became known as the winter solstice celebration and December 25th became a big day in this sunny historical recipe. Primitive religion and basic violent ignorance was the mechanism of the first entertainment system. This chilly and annoying season of vacant space in the schedule became a tiresome routine, so man said, “Let there be lights,” and that was just the beginning. Eventually this pseudo enjoyable, time consuming and expensive activity was born and there were lights.

Then the church ( Roman Catholic mostly ) came up with the “X”-mass notion that if we place the baby Jesus in there somewhere, we could sanitize this void and in the mix make a few bucks; all to the glory of God of course. This salvaging operation in the festivities department soon began to inspire more ridiculous stories that gullible and illiterate Christians commenced to believe, accept and support. What began with pious superstition eventually procured additional financial momentum. This offered the possibility of holding the infant Jesus hostage for a few weeks during the coldest days of the year while negotiating terms for releasing the legends and inaccurate fables. It sounded delightful it glittered and had an aroma of its own. I have come to understand that it just smells.

There’s more. The “X”-mush is a side dish of mentally unhealthy side affects. It can be depressing to a poor man and a disappointment to a greedy or ungrateful person. It has so very little to do with Jesus anymore and more to do with the accumulation of those unnecessary items which at a reasonable time of year will end up in a garage sale. Modestly priced I might add. Don’t get me wrong, I have been both victim and perpetrator in these “X“-miss trends and habits. I too have looked at many a gift and thought, “just what were you thinking when you paid the cashier for this future white elephant?” It’s not going to bother me if you think that I’m a Scrooge. This guilt driven insult is spoken to intimidate the rational inspection of the issue. It is part and parcel to the expectations, family traditions, seasonally cloned attitudes, and the purchasing mystique. These “X”-mess absurdities just keep getting passed on to the children.

When my son was small, we showered him with gaudily wrapped prizes and read to him from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke. My wife cooked and we went to the Christmas service at our church and enjoyed the truth that God became a man and lived on the earth. I have heard that if you want anything done right, you have to do it yourself. The Lord obviously agrees. But I noticed that Jesus had no festivities committee present or even a welcome wagon. There was no invitation on a flashy Hallmark card and I believe very few knew or cared that He had arrived. God was born in a barn of sorts among the farm animals with the smell of manure in His first breath. There was no pine tree cut down in the prime of its life, laden with ornaments over in the corner. None of the fancy wrapped store bought packages, the bric-a-brac of our high tech, remote controlled, return them if you don’t like them environment cluttered the stable floor. The shepherds of today refuse to spread the good news like they did 2000 and some years ago. The wise men and theologians of today don’t believe the bible and wouldn’t understand a sign from heaven if they saw one and couldn’t pour eggnog out of a boot if the directions were written on the heel. Spiritually speaking that is.

Jesus came to us not requiring that we celebrate His birth, because He has no beginning and He has no end. He did although come to present Himself as a gift and still offers Himself to anyone who will accept it. He is now mostly ignored in the “X”-must rush. For those who choose to believe, He only requires that we remember to acknowledge His commandments and promises. But we still insist on giving Him an unfair trial, if we dare to try Him at all. Think of it as a gift exchange with an unusually cruel death for Him and in return a new life for us; as in, His beating for our healing. You get the picture. It’s not as pretty as a Hollywood film, but then truth just isn’t as exciting as intoxicating visual animation.

I appeal to you to consider the resurrection in the “X”-missed it again object lesson. It’s all some of us can do to get out of bed and face another day except on “X”-mas day as we have done since we were children. Great resurrection morning! We rise up early, make a lot of noise tear open perfectly wrapped items and begin operating them with not even the benefit of reading the instructions. We will become goofy and surprised, somewhat confused and also a bit envious too, until about noon when most of the toys will loose their interest in us and remain neglected or broken already. We’ll stuff ourselves silly with white sugar, starch and cooking grease. We will consume the worse types of snack ever invented, designed or brewed and of course do all this with at best a marginal suggestion of appreciation to the One who makes it all possible. Some will say that that’s just my opinion and a very “X”-treme one at that.

I have come to believe that a resurrection happens every December 25th in most of the free world and is soon forgotten in a vapor of gluttonous spending and anxiety. In an earth that knows no peace, a day of ancient custom whose origin is found in witchcraft has no special magic for me, knowing that many will go to their grave without ever opening the gift that God gave us. Go ahead and celebrate this pagan holiday while you can because there are not many “X”-messes left until He returns. Learn to be thankful for every moment you have above ground. Without the Lord and His love for mankind, there would be no use to celebrate anything. He alone has allowed and even tolerated all of the Christmases past. This present one and any future ones however are still in question, and that’s just what “X”-mas means to me.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

　
Written by Timothy W. La Vigne
Original concepts 12/18/1999 Vancouver, WA

Are You Thinking?

Are you thinking of investing in a 2013 hot shot preacher’s Alaskan cruise, annual celebrity concert & revival tour or maybe just an off the rack specialized seminar circuit event? I’m thoroughly impressed with the big name conference & concert combo brochures that are printed on expensive paper & include hotel availability & booking rates. Often, if you sign up early you get a whole 10% off the overpriced gala. Too much exaggeration & not enough honesty are spent hyping the three day music festival or week long seminar that in the real world couldn’t survive without such crafty advertising & heavy promotion. It only takes a few gifted voices to attract the ears of an easily manipulated audience. Just for perspective some Sting 60th birthday concert tickets sold for $1074 a pop. The artist’s name in this case fits the whole concept. Without the oversold curiosity factor, similar pseudo religious pabulum would evaporate. If one person will seek God with an open Bible & a closed mouth sooner or later that person will know more than all the PhD’s in the world. I’m going to write more about this in the future & I’m so inspired by Rick Warren & Joel Osteen. I just can’t decide whether to call the article ‘The Concert Driven Life’ or ‘Your Best Convention Now.’

GOT SIGNAL?

Among the clouds above us there is a network of electrical impulses and unseen signals racing past and around us. Cell phone towers scatter the chatter to the four winds and the wireless PC connections soak up our time and afferent broadband curiosities. Satellites far above our world transmit various surveillance codes and photograph our whereabouts. So it is in the Spirit world as Angels of the Most High and demons seemingly share the same atmosphere in this invisible exchange. The Lord too is always broadcasting to whosoever will listen, believe and acknowledge Him in their lives. We must have a ‘perceiver’ and be tuned into His frequency in order to hear from Him. We are made aware of His news updates, weather alerts and traffic conditions as we stay connected. Often when attempting to tune in through prayer and waiting on the Lord we are annoyed by the static and crackling noise. When you are far away from a desired station the signal will fade in and out. Sometimes the effort is so tiring that we turn off the receiver and just do without. Such religious interference comes from too many voices trying to talk over each other. One says you should be saved in this manner, another, that tithing is a blessed necessity and still another requires your undivided devotion to more devotion. Then the latest contemporary gospel music plays seductively with the intention of getting you to hum along at first and then go buy the CD. These pied pipers with their convenient electronic methods are what form the opinions and theology of those who have given themselves to the white noise of iTunes Christianity. The psychological interference alone leaves the hearer in a low frequency relationship with the Lord. The right connection is the careful study of the scripture and allowing the Holy Spirit to interpret His own transmissions. The personal altitude for honing in on that signal requires an antenna and that antenna is an effectual, fervent and high frequency prayer life. .

Radio announcers are known for their authoritative voice which causes us to surrender our attention. Orson Welles was such a voice. In the radio production of The War of the Worlds back in 1938 he was so convincing with his description of space aliens invading the earth that several people committed suicide and panic was induced in much of America as a result of the prank. It worked so well that the government realized that you really can fool most of the people most of the time and this could work again and again. It did, it has and it will. The point is if a person is willing to pay close attention to what is being communicated, believe it and entertain the concepts, the future could very well be a bamboozling success and a complete and yet lucrative disaster.

Who or what do you give your attention to these days? Do you rely on C-span, ESPN, Dr. Laura or MTV? Our spiritual nature is drawn to sources like EWTN, One Place.com, Charles Stanley or other seeker friendly network static. Don’t get me wrong I like Dr. Stanley. In the end we all choose what we will give our ears to. Jesus said that he that has ears let him hear. Then he says something to the effect that to him that hath shall more is given. Hath what? Hath ears! So the one who is paying attention will be given the ability to pay more attention and those who are not paying attention will have what they thought they understood, taken away from them. Disinformation is now usually accepted because most of us don’t care for personal investigation which requires examining the forensic evidence. When a person has no discerning heart he isn’t capable of comprehending what is being broadcast and the truth of God (pardon the pun) just goes over the head of the hearer. The directional signal is the gift of the Holy Ghost and He will sort out and tune in the content of each broadcast and now the only question left for us now is.. Got Signal?

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. .. .. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Matt 13:12 &14 * my bold italics

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T. LaVigne
thewinevine@hotmail.com