Zero Point Grace

Zero point energy is the idea that what we think of as empty space is really not empty at all. That inside of empty space is a micro world of small sub atomic particles called quarks. Experiments have already demonstrated that light exhibits properties found in both waves and particles. It would seem that something or Someone is holding the universe together.

Do you believe in God? I do. I define my faith as believing in something unseen. Faith is probably the most valuable commodity in this universe. Kings and queens have fought wars over it. Science refuses to believe in it. Mothers and fathers believe in it as they watch the arrival of their new baby into this world. Preachers try and communicate it and congress tries to legislate it but at the end of the day each individual has to accept the existence of it. The reality of it is that "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God."

As we grow in this life we learn that a chair is solid enough to sit on, a red strawberry will melt sweetly in our mouths. And as very young children we learn sometimes the hard way that a stove can be hot when the burners are turned on, water can not only quench our thirst but will fill our lungs if we don't yet know how to swim. Dogs can bite, bees sting and people can be both merciful and demonic.

When I first believed in God and more specifically the gospel I wanted everyone to know it too. I would spend endless hours telling people about Jesus Christ until I was blue in the face. Eventually I pushed people away and no one wanted to be around me anymore. Now I realize that faith is a very personal gift from God that cannot be imparted to others as a solid handshake, a warm hug or by breaking off a piece of it. It has to personalized into our being, into the depth of our souls.

You know it is allot like zero point energy. It exists. But will you personally embrace it? Will you take a step in faith and begin your journey into eternity? I spend many hours studying the bible and each day I discover yet another truth embedded in the scriptures. As Chuck Missler once said "The bible is like a hologram". It’s like when a laser is used to photograph something the resulting negative resembles a cloudy mess under normal light but when the negative is illuminated with laser light a three dimensional photograph can be seen. And I might add that you can cut a small piece of the negative out from anywhere and you will get the complete picture. Our bible is indeed like a hologram where unless you believe in God through faith and have the Holy Spirit inside you illuminating the written word you will never see the picture of what God has accomplished for you.

Yes, our God is holy (set apart). He cannot tolerate anything less than perfection. Sin is simply missing God's perfect target  bulls eye. In fact sin is falling short of the target altogether. There is nothing you can do to change that fact on your own merit. There is no penance to perform, a quantity of work to do you simply must believe in faith. Many have tried to earn their salvation. Martin Luther tried and his complete failure led him to the foot of the cross, where he gazed at the hands and feet of grace. That is why God had to enter His own creation and redeem us. Jesus was both God and man. He was sinless perfection in this world. Jesus redeemed us by paying our "sin debt". Your debt was paid in full on a Roman, wooden cross some nineteen hundred years ago. Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

Do you believe in God? Will you discover faith? Our world economy will continue to fluctuate like the ocean's tides, our loved ones will continue to pass away from this world, simply put life will go on. But the question that will always be before you is "Do you believe in God?". Choose life, choose love and believe in God and what He has done for you! Take your first step of faith and just believe in the existence of God. And as His new Spirit filled light illuminates His words you will begin to understand and see into the hidden world of faith.

Oil And Water

Have you ever put oil and water in a jar and given it a good shake? The two liquids just don’t want to blend and mix with each other. In fact they repel each other, but given some time, the oil begins to form small drops that gradually rejoin the larger masses of oil. Human beings can be a lot like oil and water. When it comes to religion we tend to divide, choose up sides, and be over-critical of each other’s beliefs while fracturing off into small groups.

Last week, I interviewed Joel Osteen, best selling Christian author and Pastor of the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. After the interview, I had the opportunity to witness his presentation in person at the Lakewood Church’s presentation of a “Night Of Hope” at the San Diego Sports Arena. His preaching style and delivery were very personal, insightful, entertaining, and packed full of encouraging words and interesting anecdotes. At one point in the program his mother, a cancer survivor with over 30 years of being cancer free, told her story of how she fell on her face at the foot of her bed and cried out to God to be healed from her afflictions. Throughout the entire program, Pastor Joel was very careful to include many scripture references as he skillfully boiled down many of our most favorite Bible stories into shorter, condensed versions that all could enjoy, understand and apply to their own life situations.

So where does the oil and water come into this article you might ask? As the whole of Christendom over the last two thousand years we have become divided and fragmented when it comes to Bible doctrine, service presentation, and worship style. So much so, that it would require thousands of printed pages just to list them all. Simply put, many people won’t support Joel’s ministry because they don’t believe in or care for his style of presentation. Many feel because he does not teach in the exact same way that they do, he is coming up short somehow and misleading people.

One area of criticism of Joel (for some) would be the apparent lack of teaching on sin (missing God’s mark or falling short of it) and on our redemption or atonement (purchase price or covering) which was accomplished through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on a Roman cross some nineteen hundred years ago. Being a pastor myself, I know how important it is to preach the whole truth and we are warned not to add to or take anything away from the gospel (good news). Unless we have personally attended Lakewood church’s weekly home-fellowships, Bible studies and church services we can’t really discern the truth about what is taught during the course of any given week. Jesus, while He was here on earth, gave us just two commandments: that we are to first love God and second, love our neighbors as ourselves. Pastor Joel Osteen is definitely teaching both of these great commandments of God!

At the end of the worship service, Joel invited anyone in attendance to call upon the name of the Lord to be saved. This concept, by the way, can be found in the Bible within a section of scripture located in the book of Romans chapter 10 verses 9-13. We are all on the one-and-only path of life that leads to eternity. Where at death, the path forks, splitting in only two directions: one leads you into the presence of God and the other terminates in a place where you are permanently separated from Him. It’s your choice, but you must choose now while you are still in the land of the living.

So why is there a dichotomy in Pastor Joel’s popularity? Mother Teresa , a woman who modeled for us how Jesus might have lived and treated others once penned this on a sign hanging on the wall of the Shishu Bhavan children’s home in Calcutta, India. Here is a short excerpt from that sign “People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered…Love Them Anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives…Do Good Anyway. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies…Succeed Anyway.

You see, oil and water in this universe will never mix completely. So let us stop judging and being so critical of each other and begin to obey Jesus as He commanded us to love each other. You need to understand that our media organizations are not concerned about reporting the entire truth but rather short, edited sound bites promoting controversies and scandals. They edit interviews usually out of context in ways that are misleading. Their end product provides an instant, often blurred picture of a person’s beliefs. Don’t be too quick to judge your neighbor but give them the benefit of the doubt. Always believe in people, look for the best in them and continue to hope and pray for the best in every situation.

In Steps Of Faith

Joel Osteen-Part One  “In Steps Of Faith.”

By Dean Kellio   May 14^th,2011

There are two kinds of people living in the world today, those who love Neil Diamond and those who don’t. It is similar to a black and white sketch with no shades of gray, tea lacking tepidness or having any middle ground to stand on. The same phenomenon holds true when it comes to America’s most popular Christian author and Pastor, Joel Osteen.

Yesterday, I had the rare pleasure of interviewing Pastor Joel Osteen. Our interview took place immediately following a book signing he was attending at the San Diego Naval Exchange.  There were all kinds of people attending. They had arrived early to secure a place in line as they waited their turn to meet Pastor Joel and his wife Victoria.

As the book signing came to a close, I was escorted to a security office where I was to wait for pastor Joel and his wife to finish signing books. As Pastor Joel entered the small room, he smiled, shook my hand and welcomed me and my father Wayne. I felt genuine warmth and sincerity flowing from his very firm hand shake and his friendly demeanor. As I began to ask Joel my first question, I noticed how his attention was totally focused; he was connecting with me even after completing an hour long session of signing hundreds of books for his fans.  So I asked, “Joel, when and how did you realize that God had a plan for your life? When was that moment?”

Pastor Joel responded in his usual Texan accent, “You know, as a little boy I grew up in a preacher’s home and I believe my father instilled in it as long as I remember that we are people of destiny; that God has something for each of us to do. I can remember as long as I’ve been alive.”

Joel Osteen’s life is living proof that God indeed has a perfect plan, a specific destiny for all of us to step into. Joel has planted his feet firmly and exactly where God wanted him to stand, pastoring the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. He is a refreshing voice to America as well as the world at large, vocalizing that God truly loves each and every one of us. Together with his wife Victoria by his side, Joel is fulfilling his unique destiny by utilizing his God-given charisma and spiritual gifts. Even during my short visit with Joel, it was very apparent how naturally he uses his spiritual gift of encouragement.

I then asked “Joel, what is one thing that has stuck with you, some advice you remember your father imparting to you, something that you cling to?”  

Joel responded “You know, the one thing that my dad imparted in us was always be a person of integrity. Always take the high road. Be a person of your word. That is what he lived out by example, plus he imparted by his works”

Before the death of his father, Pastor John Osteen in 1999, Joel ran the production department for seventeen years at the Lakewood Church. After his father’s passing, while Joel was still undecided about being a preacher, he decided to trust God and took the reins of his father’s Lakewood Church. Joel first believed and then trusted that God would consecrate and empower him to succeed as a pastor. He took a step in faith and the rest is history.

Because the Lakewood team was preparing for that evenings presentation of a “Night of Hope” at the San Diego Sports Arena, Joel only had a limited amount of time to answer a few questions. I’m praying for “Big Things” and that in the future God  will grant me yet another, longer opportunity to interview Joel, so that we all can see a little deeper into this interesting, faith filled man, his mission and beliefs.

Here is the last question I was able to squeeze in: “Joel, Jesus commanded us to forgive and to love each other, so why is that such a hard thing to do?” 

Joel explains “You know sometimes I just think that when people hurt you, our nature is to hold on to it or to see the differences in people, to not love them but I think you have to train yourself, I’m going to let stuff go and see the best in people. Life is so much better when we live by those principals.”

Joel shook our hands once again, said his goodbyes, and disappeared into a waiting car leaving us with his special grin that even the Cheshire cat would be jealous of. You know, maybe I should give Neil Diamond another chance?

Joel Osteen

There are really only two kinds of people in the world...those who love Niel Diamond and those who don't. I don't particularly care to sit down and hear a cutting edge rendition of "Crackling Rosy" but then what do I know? It seems Neil has good company because when it comes to Joel Osteen, once again we have a divided camp.

As I dressed this morning in my best clothes, spit shinned my only pair of black shoes, my thoughts continued to run about my head as to what questions to ask Joel Osteen.You see I have been attempting to interview him for just about a year now and today it was looking like I would get my chance.

A short time later, while at the gas station for a quick "top off", I realized today was Friday the 13th a day steeped in superstition. Some think of it as an usually wicked day of "Murphy's Law" on steroids but I don't put too much faith in chance and superstition. However, today was different and that particular fact did drive me to prayer just to be sure there would be no mix ups or bloopers. Although there was the possibility that my turrets syndrome might rear its ugly head while I was being asked for my personal identification at the front gate kiosk. Would the words "there is a bomb in my trunk" tumble out of my mouth as I was asked for my identification. Click, on goes the handcuffs.

This scenario kept popping up in my thoughts as I don't really have an official "Media Credential" and the last email I got from Joel Osteen's personal assistant Andrea was don't forget your "Media Credential". While doing a radio show at KPRZ I never needed a media credential as my guests would be interviewed by phone.Whats really funny about this whole thing is just the day before I produced my own Alpine Sun "Press ID" at the local Postal Annex. So now if the bomb comment didn't throw me in the brig then the pseudo-faked ID was sure to be my one way ticket to Guantanamo Bay.

My dad,Wayne, decided to go along with me at the last moment. He likes Joel Osteen and Neil Diamond  for what ever that is worth. Joel Osteen is a little on the shorter side. He almost looks like he is being swallowed alive by by his suit. There really wasn't room for two of him inside his modest blue suit but one can only think that the rigors of life in the spiritual fast lane are beginning to wear him down.

People had arrived early and were eagerly standing in line to get a glimpse of or maybe if they were lucky a handshake from Pastor Osteen. With his wife Victoria by his side they both reached out and shook hands as they worked the line of people from the back to the front, which  by the way, I thought was very classy.

What Joel Osteen lacks in stature he makes up for in the warmth that flows from his over sized heart.In just one short hour both he and his wife were able to both sign a couple hundred books each. All books were joyfully handed back to each person with a smile and a "Thanks for coming".

The very next thing I knew I was being hustled back into a security room. Now I'm getting nervous and started thinking my fake media credential had been discovered remembering the last email from Andrea had said "Don't forget your media credential". From the doorway I could see Joel and Victoria being escorted my direction and soon the room was filled with security and the sound of many voices all talking at once. Andrea spoke up "Joel, this is Dean and his father Wayne" Joel's kind blue eyes seemed to twinkle a bit as he said "its so nice to meet you both". Now keep in mind he just finished signing a couple hundred books and grabbed at least double that in hands.

So the day so far went off with out a hitch. I did a very quick interview with Joel Osteen, said our goodbyes and off they were hustled into waiting limo. Andrea said you are coming tonight to our "Night of Hope"? I said of course and she gave us a couple of tickets up front in the 6th row. I'm not going to tell you all about my interview with Joel you will have to read about it in the Alpine Sun. You know maybe I do like Niel Diamond after all.