Ichabod

Fellow Traveler,

People are surprised when they ask how I spell my last name and I answer, “Sinner with a ‘K’.” I rarely do it, but most folks get this quizzical look on their face and probably wonder what planet I’m from. But there is a sure and certain truth about it: I’m a sinner, and Kristos has inserted His name and given me a new one. My greatest challenge is living up to the new one.

In the book, Valley of Vision, prayers of the Puritans are recorded to show the length and depth of the heartfelt longings, praises, thanksgivings, and contrition that believers experience. Few can match their lofty use of language in the 21st century. “O LORD, thou knowest my great unfitness for service, my present deadness, my inability to do anything for thy glory, my distressing coldness of heart. I am weak, ignorant, unprofitable, and loathe and abhor myself. I am at a loss to know what thou wouldest have me to do, for I feel amazingly deserted by thee, and sense thy presence so little; Thou makest me possess the sins of my youth, and the dreadful sin of my nature, so that I feel all sin, I cannot think or act but every motion is sin. Return again with showers of converting grace to a poor gospel-abusing sinner. Help my soul breathe after holiness, after a constant devotedness to thee, after growth in grace more abundantly every day . . .”

We are too inclined to falling into sin. “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it . . . Prone to leave the God I love.” Our first parents were soon deceived. King David too easily cast a longing look. Peter’s fears quickly led to the sound of the crowing. And we follow suit in our own lives as we willingly deny the One who bought us by turning from the path of righteousness for some unlawful pleasure. It is as if our brains cease to function rationally for one brief moment. We bow to the sins of anger, covetousness, evil thoughts, lust, ambition, and idolatry, ending up as the Puritan felt, “amazingly deserted by thee.” Dullness of heart, broken heavenly fellowship, and a lost loving attitude of worship take the place of true peace in our souls, and we fall into the misery of having quenched the Spirit. What fools we are to trade a God-pleasing Christian walk for an unholy, God-dishonoring wallow in sin.

There is but one thing to do when we reach the bottom. We look up and call upon the God of mercy, saying with fallen David, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done this evil in Your sight – that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge . . . Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit . . .” Psalm 51:1-4,7-12.

May our prayers rise to a holy Father today in full assurance of forgiveness. May we pray along with our 17th century Puritan brother, “O how I need thee to abide in me, for I have no natural eyes to see thee, but I live by faith in one whose face to me is brighter than a thousand suns! When I see that all sin is in me, all shame belongs to me; let me know that all good is in thee, all glory is thine.”

Old Davy

Robots and Religion

Along with the wonders of the high tech revolution comes its latest and greatest addition – AI. Artificial Intelligence promises such a transformation of culture, science, infrastructure, and military arts that the future will be a realized utopian dream. The personal robot will do our work, thinking, and driving for us. In fact, it will out-think us. Or will it?

A recent article on BBC.com asks the question: “Will AI Transform Religion?” The Atlantic magazine says, “AI may be the greatest threat to Christian theology since Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species . . . Google is developing ‘artificial moral reasoning’ so that its driverless cars can make decisions about [whose life is more valuable for saving in] potential accidents. Anthony Levandowski has founded a new church, Way of the Future, which initially believed in “the realization, acceptance, and worship of a godhead based on AI developed through computer hardware and software.”

In Japan, there is a Buddhist temple that uses a silicon covered head, face, and hands robot that moves and talks. It’s fashioned after Kannon, the goddess of mercy. It interacts with the congregants and speaks words of wisdom to them. The local monk tells us, “Robots are superior to us. They can evolve forever, thinking of the best way to do things . . . It will never die . . . It is not blasphemy. It’s a gradual process.” The Roman Catholic church has a robot named “Santo” in Italy. Born out the Covid lockdown, it is programmed with 2000 years of knowledge and is there to answer questions (incorrectly as seen in practice). The faithful weren’t impressed, but one said, “Anything that brings you closer to God is a good thing.” A rabbi was presented with a Jewish app that would propose a daily spiritual/moral challenge to encourage and direct believers. The girl who created the app asked the rabbi, do you think it will replace you? The rabbi ended the discussion by saying, “The robot will never replace a rabbi because [it] has no soul.”

So let’s answer the question, “Will AI Transform Religion?” Granted, there will be some areas that may welcome smart computers. Bible translation is one. The use of chatbots is another (something like Alexa) where questions about theology could be answered verbally on command. They could be used in catechizing or teaching Bible verses, etc. But just how soon will we see our church pastors and teachers being replaced by humanoids in the pulpit? Within 100 years say some. But how does a non-spiritual being communicate spiritual truth in all its complexities? It is God, the Holy Spirit who dispenses the gift of preaching and teaching to Spirit-filled believers. Will robots have spiritual natures? No!

Jesus said to His disciples, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” John 16:13,14. Will a computer be guided into all truth by the Holy Spirit? No, but it could easily expound doctrinal error and lies. “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” I Corinthians 2:11-14.

Lord, may we have discerning hearts as we navigate our present and future world and not blindly follow the musings of men – or robots. Your Word alone will be our guide and source of spiritual truth.

Old Davy

The Weather God

Fellow Traveler,

“You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it. You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth. You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance. They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing.” Psalm 65:9-13

We Golden Staters have certainly been weathering the weather this year. We’ve been so used to a prolong drought, the recent and continuing rain and snow have overwhelmed us. As the weeds enjoy the feast, we wonder when we’ll get outside to take care of them. We’ve had to juggle our schedules, watch weather reports every day, and stay indoors much more than we’re used to. The flooding has been deadly. The snow pack is stranding people in their homes, leaving many without power and some without help. We are humbly aware that we don’t control the atmosphere.

God tells us that He’s fully in charge of weather patterns, whether winds, calm, floods, or drought. “For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea.” Psalm 107:25. “Whatever the Lord pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries.” Psalm 135:6,7.

“Now when [Jesus] got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’” Matthew 8:23-27.

But how many would agree? We live in a secular world that hardly believes that the Creator of the weather is also its controller. Every atmospheric condition is attributed to Mother Nature, cause and effect, or worse, to blind chance. And there are a number of “Bible-believing” folks in the same camp. If the Scriptures record God’s judging the whole earth during the Great Flood of Noah’s day, or the prolonged drought during Elijah’s time, they just can’t believe it. They reject any idea the “Judge of all the earth” would actually do so by using inclement weather. Yet, God’s word repeatedly says so.

Am I saying every adverse weather event is for a particular national sin? I don’t assume to have God’s mind in the matter. And I am not superstitious. But I am convinced that He has used them in judgment in the past and is most likely continuing to do so, having both the right and the reason for it. I refuse to be a denier.

Lord of all the earth, forgive us for not believing Your word. May it guide our every thought and action as we consider the fallen world in which we live, as we humbly turn from our sin of unbelief.

Old Davy

The Jesus Revolution – A Review

Fellow Traveler,

“ . . . the word of truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth.” Colossians 1:4b-6

There was a certain amount of nostalgia mixed with my decision to take Barb to see The Jesus Revolution film this week. Although we didn’t come out of an undiluted hippie culture, we were caught up in the music, moccasins, headbands, and free love side effects. Our style was a small town tempered imitation at best, but one that certainly didn’t fit the family norm. After her first look at me, Barb’s mom told her she couldn’t believe she went out with “that thing.” My long hair, unfashionable clothes and Mustang fastback led to her tears and consternation until Barb told her who my grandmother was. Suddenly, I was transferred to the respectable column.

There were no deep, dark, drug or drinking struggles to overcome. There were no sex orgies to repent of. Our dilemma was far deeper: we were lost sinners in need of forgiveness. We were spiritually bankrupt souls, wandering through a world of lies and deception. Hearing the gospel would change everything. Dead hearts would be replaced with living ones. The power of God was moving. It was Christmas 1972. An awakening called the Jesus Movement was flourishing in California.

So when the movie started, I was skeptical. I had heard and read both the movie and Asbury University revival critics. Doctrinal error, over-emotionalism, simplified gospel preaching and teaching, turning away from conventional forms of worship, and morally flawed leadership are on the list.

The Jesus Revolution movie was overwhelmingly emotional for me. The on-screen newfound love for the Lord Jesus and His people brought back my own tearful experiences of joy in those early years. I was transported back to my first love here in Stockton, CA as young people were being saved in the true story of Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel. I could relate to the flawed characters and spiritual warfare portrayed on screen. I had lived through the same things here in Stockton as personality and doctrinal differences eventually changed the spiritual landscape for all of us. We grew in grace while taking different paths. God was present in spite of our inadequacies.

So I will not fault the film that tells a real story. The characters are believable, unlike most other Christian movies. The production quality is excellent. The gospel of repentance, faith, forgiveness, Jesus as Lord, changed lives, obedience, boldness, and a lasting faith-walk is presented. God is sovereign in the saving of sinners. He isn’t bound to convention. The Jesus Movement and its good fruit are proof of that. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!'” Isaiah 52:7.

Lord, may we pray for revival and awakening this year as the Holy Spirit creates new hearts in this lost world.

Old Davy