RE: dW 05.17.10

In dW 05.17.10 I used a quote by Robert Schuller. The quote in isolation is not an issue. However, Schuller’s theology has major issues.

Therefore, having been made aware, I would like to make clear that I do not support his theology.

If you are interested in knowing more about Schuller’s theology, then look through the information below.

Blessings,

Kyle

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I do have a comment on using a quote from Robert Schuller. Although the quote itself is innocuous, the use of it could tend to lend legitimacy to his teaching, which contains significant un-Biblical elements.

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Here are several examples –

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In a 10/5/84 letter to Christianity Today, Schuller wrote, "I don't think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and hence counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crude, uncouth, and unchristian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition" (cf. Romans 1:18-3:20).

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In response to a question from Paul Crouch on Crouch's TBN 12/8/87 television show, concerning critic's claims that Schuller doesn't preach repentance, Schuller responded, "I preach repentance so positively, most people don't recognize it" (cf. Ezekiel 18:30-32).

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In Self-Esteem: The New Reformation (Word Books, 1982), Schuller teaches that: (1) the church's problem is that it has had a God-centered theology for centuries, when it needs a man-centered one; (2) we're not bad, merely badly informed about how good we are; (3) it would be an insult to the integrity of any human being to call him a sinner; and (4) "Jesus knew His worth; His success fed His self-esteem. He suffered the cross to sanctify His self-esteem and He bore the cross to sanctify your self-esteem. The cross will sanctify the ego trip" (p. 115) (cf. Matt. 16:24). [Schuller further amplified this latter thought on the 8/12/80 Phil Donahue Show; Schuller said, "Jesus had an ego. He said, 'I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me.' Wow, what an ego trip He was on!"]

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Excerpt from an 11/92 radio interview with Robert Schuller –

QUESTIONER: How could the cross, as you write, "sanctify the ego trip," and make us proud, in the light of passages that say, "I hate pride and arrogance (Prov. 8:13), "Pride goes before destruction" (Prov. 16:18),"The Lord detests all the proud" (Prov. 16:5), "Do not be proud" (Rom. 12:16), "Love does not boast, it is not proud" (1 Cor. 13:4). In fact Paul warns Timothy that in the last days men "will be lovers of themselves" (2 Tim. 3:2). ... Why should we do anything to encourage people to become "lovers of themselves" if Paul in fact warned others that that would be the state of godlessness in the last days?

SCHULLER: I hope you don't [preach this] because you could do a lot of damage to a lot of beautiful people. ... if you preach that text, oh man, I sure hope you give it the kind of interpretation that I do or, I'll tell you, you'll drive them farther away and they'll be madder than hell at you and they'll turn the Bible off, and they'll switch you off, and they'll turn on the rock music and Madonna. Just because it's in the Bible doesn't mean you should preach it. ... it is so difficult to preach some of those texts and not come across as lacking humility ...

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If you Google “Robert Schuller” you’ll come up with a lot of stuff, including transcripts of some of his appearances with Larry King.

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Here’s one fairly lengthy resource (you’ll be able to find many others) --

http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/exposes/schuller/general.htm

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Schuller is a protégé of Norman Vincent Peale, who is considered the modern father of “possibility thinking”. You can find many resources on Peale’s aberrant teachings.

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Once someone starts to selectively use Scripture, and deny that all of Scripture is true and applicable today, they are on a very dangerous path.

** dW 05.18.10 **

dW

 

scripture

 

Luke 1:76-79

Zechariah, “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace”.

 

En Espanol, Lucas 1:76-79

 

prayer

 

In an email from my mom, who lives in Kabul, Afghanistan I learned this morning of a terrorist attack that shook their city last night at 8:45 pm PST time.  There was a suicide bombing in that shook the city at 8:15 am Kabul time.  The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack that targeted a NATO convoy using a vehicle that was loaded with explosives and detonated in morning rush hour traffic.  BBC reports that there are five confirmed US military that were killed and that nearly 50 people were also injured.  The explosion was not too far away from where my stepdad works and it actually blew out a few of their windows. So far the news has not reported any of the civilian deaths, innocent lives that were taken by this act of terror.  However, there were men, women, and children that were involuntarily wrapped in this fray that have suffered serious injuries and even death.  Please pray for the people of Afghanistan and the many organizations that are on the ground in the midst of chaos trying to give aid and hope to its people.  Please pray specifically for the Taliban fighters and supporters, that God will change their hearts and give them eyes to see the damage that they are inflicting and the courage to flee from their evil.

dW 05.17.10

dW

 

scripture

 

Psalm 91: 1-2

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

 

En Espanol, Salmos 91:1-2

 

quote

 

Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.
Robert H. Schuller

 

name

 

Another name of God is Machesh, , which means “fortress; refuge; shelter”. It is interesting that if Westerners are asked who/what God is, they will generally speak of Him in terms like omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, ect. Asking a Hebrew the same question would result in images such as rock, fortress, judge, king, light, ect. What can we learn from this difference in speaking of and thinking of God?

dW 05.14.10

dW

 

scripture

 

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

 

En Espanol, Salmos 19:14

 

quote

 

It is good to be tired and wearied by the futile search after the true good, that we may stretch out our arms to the Redeemer.
Blaise Pascal

 

name

 

Another name of God is Haggo’el, The Redeemer.  This name is used in Psalm 19:14 and 17 other verses in the Old Testament.  Have you ever prayed using a name of God?  How might you use Haggo’el or My Redeemer in your prayers this week?

dW 05.13.10

dW

 

scripture

 

Nehemiah 9:17

 

They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,

 

En Espanol, Nehemías 9:17

 

name

 

The verse above calls God - Eloah Selichot, The God of Forgiveness.  God’s forgiveness is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, even in the face of rebellion and disobedience as we read of in Israel’s history and even our own.

 

quote

 

There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.
Bryant H. McGill

dW 05.12.10

dW

 

Imagine that you have been limited to using just a single word or phrase to describe something of significance. How would you describe the earth?  How would you describe your city?  How would you describe your life experience?  This limitation would make your description greatly inadequate.  By using multiple words, images, and metaphors descriptions can become more encompassing, full, and robust.  As the sun has a single source but has many rays, so is the singular nature of God known through His many attributes.  Thus, I would like to look at names of God given in Scripture, which testify of His nature.  By looking at the names of God, my hope is that we all will be shown new and exciting ways to know and experience God.

 

scripture

 

Exodus 3:13-15

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’.”  God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation”.

 

En Espanol, Éxodo 3:13-15 

 

thought

 

The primary name of God is YHVH, which is the personal name of God.  YHVH appears in the Hebrew Bible over 6,800 times.  The Hebrew verb used here means “I will”.  The Hebrew rendering of this name is “I will be what I will be”.  This name tells that “YHVH is the Source of all being and has being inherent in Himself”.

 

dW 05.11.10

dW

 

scripture

 

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

 

En Espanol, Proverbios 3:5-6

 

quote

 

Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.

C. S. Lewis

 

dW 05.10.10

dW

 

scripture

 

I John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

 

En Espanol, 1 Juan 1:9

 

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

 

En Espanol, Santiago 5:16

 

thought

 

I scratched the outside of my thumb about four weeks ago.  The scratch turned into a red welt which I’ve been ignoring all this time.  This morning I took a closer look at the welt and realized that something was stuck in there.  I pushed around on it and out came a splinter!  For almost four weeks I’ve been thinking that this welt was just a scratch, something trivial that did not require my attention.  Below the surface however was a foreign object that was not being dealt with.  This made me wonder: Do I have unconfessed sins?  Am I harboring bitterness, withholding forgiveness, denying brokenness that needs healing? 

dW 05.07.10

dW

 

scripture

 

Psalm 9:9-10

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

 

En Espanol, Salmos 9:9-10

 

quote

 

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

dW 05.05.10

dW

 

scripture

 

Psalm 68:19

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah

 

En Espanol, Salmos 68:19

 

quote

 

A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough for the next six months or take sufficient air into his lungs at one time to sustain life for a week.  We must draw upon God's boundless store of grace from day to day as we need it.

Dwight L. Moody