Digitally Inspired

Making 'Work' Pay - Really?

2011-04-07T12:09:00.002-07:00

I filed my taxes all standard and stuff, did them myself. You know I like to get in and do them. When I got an extra $800 back I was surprised. I thought my tax this year was less than that? Sure enough I checked and I hadn't even paid in as much as I got back. With this new credit, it looks like the majority of married individuals (and singles) working part-time will actually not pay any tax at all (and most likely will get money from the government.

It seems kind of silly to me. I mean I wouldn't mind having no tax at all for my bracket since I don't make a whole bunch, but having them actually pay me, while nice, just seems like I'm taking money from someone else. I didn't make that money, so someone basically is paying me to not work. Our government is messed up.

It also makes me wonder how much the government can say they control me too. Since they gave me money for 'working' does that mean that I am a government employee now? The implications are boundless. Then again we are in socialist America now..

Labor Force Participation

2011-02-06T11:51:00.000-08:00

So recently I've been tracking statistics for not just the unemployment but also under-employment. I stumbled upon a statistic for Labor Force Participation that actually shows the number of people (expressed in a percentage) that carry jobs. The report shows that Labor Force participation has dropped from about 67% (in jan 08) to about 64% (current). I find this statistic particularly interesting especially when our government keeps talking about creating new jobs, and how the unemployment rate is dropping down. Let me explain a bit of how the economy trends are actually going.

Current unemployment is reported at about 9%-10%, Underemployment sits at about 19%-20%. So 10% of the reported workforce does not have a job, and another 10% want better jobs, either full-time instead of part time etc. And this is just people that speak up about it. These two statistics have been largely static for the last year or so. But how can the Labor Force Participation drop when unemployment and underemployment have leveled off?

It's quite simple really, people stop looking for jobs because they are so disheartened by the current job market. While labor force participation keeps dropping, the government keeps telling us how the unemployment is going down, or not increasing. In all reality the economy is still in a downward spiral. In fact labor force participation has dropped almost 2% in the last year alone. A 2% decrease may not seem like much, but that's 2.2 million people no longer with jobs or no longer looking. Right now we are sitting at a 26 year low, close to how times were in the recession of '84.

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/labor-force-participations-plunges-fresh-26-year-low
http://www.gallup.com/poll/125639/Gallup-Daily-Workforce.aspx

The Shift - and Console Protections

2011-02-05T11:12:00.001-08:00

So I've decided (with much coercion from the wifey) that I should begin to post again. I like previous topics of God, Religion, and World Views, but I don't feel as much inspired to post about those things as I used to. I still think about them, and express my views in my own way, I just want to use this blog for something other than that. So my main hobby is Computer Games, so why not start commenting about different things like that? Video Game politics are quite interesting to me, and I like watching where different countries and courts are pushing different laws that affects our freedoms, or lack thereof everyday.

A couple of big things have been in the news lately. If you're not familiar with the current round of suits, Sony is suing an individual for hacking their PS3 console and breaking pretty much every security measure they put in. This pretty much allows people who mod their PS3 to run any kind of programming code they want, which the latest uproar has been cheats for online games such as the Call of Duty games.

A lot of the issue started when Sony first announced that users would be able to install any OS on their PS3, the original PS3 firmware allowed 3rd party OSes installed onto it. and then magically one night Sony pushed through an update that completely locked out all of this functionality. As you can imagine, a lot of people that specifically bought the PS3 for this (and not for gaming) were outraged. One of the features they had been promised had been removed.

Fast forward to today, where you've got a guy who has completely Cracked all the protections allowing people to pretty much do anything they want with their hardware. It's hard for me to understand why a company would want to do these things to their customers. Then again it is Sony. In fact one of the more recent updates by Sony Rootkits your console so they can see if you are using a modded machine or not. The funny thing about it though, is because the console has been completely hacked it wont be long till that feature is completely useless.

After all of this it makes me wonder why console manufacturers put as much protection into the consoles as they did. The dreamcast can play burned games straight out of the box, the PSX was able to do it with disc swapping (if you did it right). The DS and PSP were cracked fairly quickly and the DS really only requires a special flash cart that costs about the same as a game..

It seems like companies need to back off of the protection a little bit more, and do what PC gaming has been doing for the longest time. If you don't want someone to be able to steal your game with a $30 piece of hardware, use cd-keys, and a simple CD-Check algorithm. In my mind this is a no-brainer and it makes me wonder why manufacturers haven't just gone with this method. Sure you can still crack the game on a modded console and play the game just like PC games today, but you wouldn't get the full game. Consoles have become a very large gaming platform on par with computers, or maybe even moreso, but the way they try to protect their revenue seems ridiculous. You don't see Dell complaining that people can run their own code on their machines, or that they can swap new parts into them...

2010-07-05T14:06:00.002-07:00

I guess I get entirely too phased over when I read up on the news. Kind of like a doom-clock ready to laugh at who people decide to elect for their government. I sit back, watch the news roll over with the latest headlines. I read a few articles, and a little voice inside is saying 'Ooh it's so close to going BOOM! and then everyone will be screwed! AWESOME!' part of me looks at the country and this world and just doesn't care. I have no attachment other than my friends and family. It's a morose feeling I guess. But honestly, even though people say you're blessed to be in America! or some other nonsense that's been ground into their heads since they were young, I get a little feeling that makes me just want to leave. To check out what other countries are like. Travel for a while and really see it. It really makes me wonder what America has so much better than other countries.. Freedom? Well really we could be more free, people are just blind to their chains. You can't live without a drivers license or social security card. You are required to update your address. You have to be registered with the government. You have no choice in paying taxes, in fact they are TAKEN directly out of your paycheck without your choice whatsoever. None of these indicate freedoms.

What happened to just living and working a simple job, being able to provide for a family and maintain a decent standard of living? Will those days ever be back?

The Library

2010-04-29T21:25:00.002-07:00

Walked to the library with the wife today. It was fun, overall that is. I enjoy walking, I really enjoy doing it with my wife. We like to banter back and forth while we walk and talk about the most random crap. It's always a good time. I like enjoying those memories, remembering how she prances across the street and freaks out as if a car is about to hit us. Then we actually get to where we are walking, today it was a library. I don't mind libraries, and going with her is nice, since she'll make me find a book to read. I should read more, and probably write more. The thing that I don't like is wandering around wondering how long it'll take her to find another book. I get a little reminiscent of my childhood, wandering in stores attempting to find something to do to pass the time, and I don't dare say a word. That's the worst thing you could do in that situation. If you actually say you aren't having fun they always redirect it back onto you. Well then go find something! Go entertain yourself. The problem is that I already have. I've determined the library to be no longer amusing, I've found what I came for, a book, and I'm ready to leave. I should probably figure out some way to make entertain myself, like read the book I found, but I find that to be odd. Why would I read a book at the library? I came here so I could leave with one not spoil it by reading it already.
Maybe I'm just crazy, but I always find I'm awkwardly attempting to nudge her to head out, or find something so we can just go. Eventually we do, and it's back to happy times walking together. Sharing more stories, talking about drama and life and decisions. I like those times. So that's how I remember the day, walking with the wife talking about drama and feelings.

I am your Storm

2010-01-01T15:15:00.004-08:00

I am your Storm

I give you what I have, what I know to do.
I see your face lit up, happy and singing
of the time I've spent with you. But you
hold on in fear. You push me for more
than I can give. My heart is emptied for
you and yet you still ask more of me.

In a worried whisper to my heart you say,
"Don't run away. You are stronger than that."
And my heart aches to be loved in return.
But these words offer me duty, more tasks.

Another manipulation performed in fear
Only to keep me close. I see it plain, but
with a sigh I submit, I submit my heart. I'd
rather not fight. Not when my heart is low.

These words to be strong sap away what
desire I have to stand. Ironic. But with no
contest I yield to what you want, because
I love you, even when I am empty, I will
continue in love. Is this strength to you?

Is that what you want? A man to keep quietly
beside you, knowing he will never leave
because you have him trained so well?
I know you better, you will be miserable.
Wondering where he went, why he seems dead.
But why do you pursue this? What drives you?

Please, My Love, listen closely. You have no
need to fear. I am not leaving you. I am your
rock, Your stability. But you can not tame me.
You can not cage me. I am your Storm.

- For her

Soul Reading

2009-12-08T22:05:00.003-08:00

Untitled

Sunken, downtrodden. So little life
left in that shell of skin. Eyes hung
low in thought of self. In self-
destruction, wrapped in waves
of brainless banter. A mindless riot
of the thoughts. I see the pain, I see
the worry, but you think it's only
natural, only normal. It's just the
usual for yourself. Listen closely
to my Word. This Message sparks
a tiny flash of hope. I see the
difference. What you were, what
you are. What you can become.
A bit of light, a bit of peace. I see
a change on your face. Your mind
is quiet, searching, waiting for
another. Hoping for another Word.
Don't worry, you're worth it. You're
Strong, you're Wild and Fierce.
You will overcome.

- For Him

A Poem for Her

2009-12-08T19:32:00.003-08:00

My heart gives way

to a deep, almost hurtful wonder.
A wonderful amazement of life
on the other side. Curiosity beckons
me from within my mind, pulls
at the corners of my reality.
Curiosity born of you. My world,
your world; Once these were
So sure of tomorrow, so different,
and concrete. Now, changed,
molded. Together. it is only
time that separates and in
anticipation my love grows
ever greater, ever amazed
of who you are. And still;
my heart gives way to you.

- For Her.

Leading a Group

2009-09-02T23:18:00.003-07:00

I have had the opportunity to be a part of a leadership group in a church over the last few years, and tonight I have come to a startling revelation. It may appear as a no brainer once explained, but the intricacies of the question presented below are very large, and affect the entire group, how it functions and how much fruit it produces. Often in leadership we have discusses this very question:

What should we do during our church gatherings?

My startling revelation tonight is quite simple. This is absolutely without a doubt the wrong question to be asking. Why? Because it means that at our core we have now put the function, the gathering of people as the primary focus. God isn't the focus, or necessarily what we are searching for, it is how we can have a good gathering. Functions are not what we should be designing in a leadership setting, if we have come to brainstorming ideas on how to handle our gatherings I think we've begun to miss the point. Now this isn't a law, it's not all inclusive. It's a mindset shift. There is definitely a place and time to discuss the gathering and what should happen during it, and what should not. What I'm getting at is that if we focus on what the next event should contain we lose sight of what really matters, changing peoples hearts. I think that the questions we should be asking as leaders are:

What do our people need?
What does God desire to show us or what is He teaching us tonight?

I see it as a subtle shift, but from experience I've been in the what should we do tonight mode for so long I've almost forgotten what it is to check and see what people actually need, or what God really desires to give us. I know that every time we gather together God wants to give us a gift, and not only that but we have gifts to give each other also. To water a gathering down simply to figure out what functions we need to have is completely counter productive to what promotes healthy growth. It's not about praying for 20 minutes, then playing music for an hour, then breaking into groups, or however you want to organize it. I guess it to me, it feels as if we got stagnant. We started to cop out and ask what needed to change in the church gathering so we could attract more people, or to help people more. These questions have good intentions but unless they lead us to the two questions above I feel they dominate our efforts and squander our strength. Instead of actually getting good insight into where a group should be taken, leadership is spent discussing who's job it is to do something, and what time things need to start or be ready. It's like we need to have a clue in, God doesn't wait for us, we wait for him, we move in him and through him, and he through us, but only if we let him. God operates in his own timetable and it's our duty to jump in with him.

Common Misconceptions of Church: How did we get here?

2009-08-15T01:08:00.002-07:00

Another topic for which I feel the need to write. I've been reading a good deal about the early church, how it grew, functioned, and was ultimately institutionalized, and then how the American church has propagated itself over the last few decades. So here we go!

Leadership. It's all something we say we need, we want someone to lead us, we say we need someone to lead us in our studies, in our churches, in our gatherings. Everywhere we go as christians we call out to be led somewhere by another person. It's an epidemic in unwillingness to take responsibility for what Christ has called the individual believer to attain to. It's amazing that people can think that leadership in the church is not for them, that they will simply be a good person, and go to heaven when they die. It's equally appalling to think that leaders are only concerned with the number of people they save or have attending their church. It basically goes back to Israel, who cried out for a King to be like the other nations. They rejected God, asking for a King so they could both be like the other nations, and also so they could be led by someone. In the same way the Instutional Church has cried out for leaders, and they have burdened the people. I want to break the idea that a church is supposed to be run by a board of elders, with a paid pastor and many co-pastors, or teachers. This is not what we see in scripture and in fact more closely resembles a business model. The church has basically turned into a business that sells religious goods and services. It takes away the peoples responsibilities to fulfill the great commission, instead pushing it off to the pastors and teachers who they pay with their tithe. Church has changed into an exchange of commodities. A pastor goes to school, learns a whole bunch of knowledge about God, and then is planted into a church and expected to make it thrive. In fact, the pastor need not have any godly experience at all. He need not have been through any life changing experience, or encounter with God. When the leaders are chosen not based on their willingness to serve and share the love of Christ, but based on how well they can knowledge their way through a doctrine, there is something wrong with our churches.
I am confronted by scriptures that suggest the only people who are to be paid from the churches funds are those in desperate need, the poor, especially the widows. In fact the only instances of ministers getting paid, are those being sent to other churches. Apostles moving to other churches to expand God's kingdom or to new areas in the world where they would not be able to provide for themselves. We don't see deacons or pastors of churches getting paid. This would be a burden on the people and would be taking from the good of others. It boggles me that we would think that because they help us have a better relationship with God, then we should give them money for their services. It's all backwards, and upside down.
This separates the church into two different people-groups. The leadership, or those who are paid. And the laity, or those who are not paid. As I said before we have a model of church which pushes all the responsibility of religion onto the paid leadership, in contrast the scriptures show that all believers are responsible for extending the gospel, and the role of leadership is to serve and enable this to happen. Leadership has become the leaders because they've already gone out and served people, and shown them Christ. They are leaders because people follow their example. A leader is inherently so, you can't give someone a paycheck and magically think they will be a leader. They must go through the experience of life and attain character to be able to lead. Likewise the laity, or the rest of church is called to go forth and make disciples, to spread the good news to any, and in doing so grow in Christ.
What gets me is how this can be such a touchy subject. Would a pastor charge someone if he blessed them on the side of the road as he walked by? Would he charge for a prayer when he wasn't in a church for reimbursement? Then why do we think it's a good idea to pay a pastor for running a church? It's exactly the same thing just on a larger scale. The idea is prettied up and made okay because well he wont have enough time for everyone if he had a real job. But that's just it, he's not supposed to have time for everyone to begin with. Leadership is designed to function just as Jesus did with his apostles. On a small scale. It doesn't work in large scale because you can't commit enough time to everyone. Churches become leader starved as a result, having 2 or 3 pastors for a congregation in the hundreds, yet they are expected to be able to provide meaningful impact to all who come in the church doors.
Rather there needs to be many leaders in a setting like this, not one of which is paid. Again why would you charge someone for spiritual needs? It also brings us to another point, paying leaders in a church creates divisions and strife. How much do they get paid? What do they purchase with their money? What he bought an expensive car? OH my, he gets paid too much! These are things that are said, and it creates a hazardous environment in the church. It also creates competition between laity and paid leadership. For risk of losing his job the leader will squelch the growth of the church or ministry so that he can stay stable. It's a conflict of interest and bringing money into the equation only pollutes the topic. Money can, and does grip people, even the strongest.

We haven't changed much from indulgences in the Roman Catholic Church, it seems we do the same things, just prettied up with better names and more comfortably subversive. Instead simply asking for a tithe, and then listening to a motivational religious speaker who makes us feel good. Only to go home for another week thinking that we are safe because we heard preacher Larry tell us how much Jesus loves us. The times and ways may have changed, but the church is still selling the same thing.

The Word of God: Not Just the Bible - Part 2

2009-07-30T16:38:00.003-07:00

Much discussion has given me the desire to refine, reiterate and once again post on the Bible.

That's a lot of ground to cover in just one post ... !!! The Bible should be our standard, the final word. We must study the scriptures for ourselves, and be ready in season and out of season, to give an answer for our faith.
- Jim Andrews

And I digress:

The Bible is never the standard, it has too long been used to tell people what they need to measure up to, how they need to live their lives. Yes there are good things in the bible, yes you can use it as a tool to help strengthen your relationship with God. The primary and fundamental flaw with thinking that the bible is the standard, is reducing a relationship with God into knowledge. God desires an intimate relationship with everyone. If that means you spend time reading the scriptures then that is awesome, but pastors and teachers have a tendency to think that if you aren't in scripture than you obviously don't have a relationship with God. The Scriptures are not the final standard, for the explicit reason that man interprets it. This goes back to what I was saying in my previous post about how people like to blur the lines between scripture and Jesus without even knowing they are doing it. When we suggest that Scripture, and the Bible are the standard for our lives we have now just replaced Jesus and the Holy Spirit with scripture. Why do you think people get confused with how they are supposed to live? Jesus, what we truly are to look to and grow into, has now been replaced by how our teachers interpret scripture. This feeds directly into the problems I am trying to discuss about the Bible.

The scriptures are good for exhortation, rebuke, strength, wisdom ... The Bible tells us clearly that we don't live by food... Read More alone, but by the word of God (scriptures).
- Jim Andrews

The verse quoted above is a misrepresentation of actual scripture, "the Word of God" is NOT a direct reference to scripture. The actual verse there says that "we live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God". Now I have no problem suggesting that the bible is _a_ word of God, meaning it can be used as one, but again we enter into the problem of confusion when we misrepresent what the bible states because we leave out a few words, or misquote something. Isn't this exactly what satan did? I find it incredibly appalling that teachers can suggest 'this always mean scripture' when a verse talks about the word of god or living off of it. Well the verses are found in the old testament, and they didn't have a bible like we do back then. David liked to used real world examples to show spiritual truths. He talks of being lead through valleys of the shadow of death and being led to green pastures, being told to lie down for rest, and being taken near the streams of living water. These are all poetic references to spiritual realities. God doesn't literally take him to a living stream. The only way to understand spiritual reality is to submit ones own knowledge and allow the Holy Spirit to teach. Yes scripture is good for teaching, rebuking, and the other things listed off by Paul in his letter to timothy, but as Satan has shown us it is also good for other things. The only tried and true way of closeness to God while incorporating scripture is through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In fact, that's the only way to be close to God, ever.

Many religious leaders are getting so far away from the scriptures, and leading millions of people astray. We need to get back to the Bible ...
- Jim Andrews

And this is exactly the mindset that has gotten us where we are. Oh no! People aren't reading! Push them into the bible more! NO! That's complete nonsense, I can not stand for this mindset and will not allow it to permeate anyone I hold close. Reading the bible will not foster a genuine appreciation for relationship with God of it's own power. The only possible way for anything to change a person is direct interaction with the Holy Spirit. This can come through nearly any medium, in any place, at any time. Prophecy, exhortation, teaching, evangelism, preaching, healings, tongues, worship, reading scripture; are all examples of things we associate with as 'good christian behaviours' Each of them can be done without God, and each of them can be done with God. We all know the end result of either action, why do we insist that the bible holds some mystical power untapped in it's words merely because it has had the Churches stamp of approval on it. I can not simply accept that scripture is somehow more divine than someone giving a prophecy. God didn't write the bible, people did. God gave his people inspiration, and he let them loose to use the skills he created them with, and we too can choose to move in the same vein.

Honestly I believe the reason why the church gets scared when the bible is questioned, is the same reason the Catholic Church condemned Luther and Germany for translating the bible. It puts the church out of business. No longer can leaders stay leaders, they have to answer for what they have been teaching. They can no longer hand feed a whole congregation what they think the bible is saying. Or tell people how to think about their bibles. If God is the only one they answer to, then they wont have sheep to lead anymore. It's a cyclical system of keeping people in need. This is going to all boil over into another topic though.. one about Knowledge and the detriment of it within the church. So I should probably stop there and just brainstorm ideas for that topic.

On a sidenote, there is no feasible reason to suggest that scripture has stopped being written. If God is still active within his people, allowing them to prophecy, teach, perform miracles, or do other things like this. Then it would be within reason to suggest that scripture did not simply stop being written. In timothy we see a simple list of guidelines for what scripture does. If we see this as a recommendation for how to use scripture, then couldn't it be possible that written communication that is good for rebuking, teaching, etc is also scripture? Again. just another idea to stir up the pot.

The Word of God: Not Just the Bible

2009-07-21T20:09:00.006-07:00

So I'll start with the Word of God.

He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God."
- Revelation 19:12b-13 (NKJV)

'Have you been reading the word of god?', 'Have you been in the word lately?' These are just a few of the statements I've heard in my time at various churches. I'm not quite sure where the practice originated, or why the phrase 'word of god' has become synonymous in the evangelical church with the bible, but it is something that has spread across nearly every church I have been to.
I remember in my childhood we never used to call it the word, it was always scripture or the bible. There was always something special about those pages. In Sunday school we were called to memorize key verses, to read everyday, to base our whole life around studying, and knowing the scriptures in the event that we need to preach out to our friends who don't know Christ. As I grew older in the church I was ushered into the bible study, and the small group. Meetings designed to once again instill within me scripture, and give me tools to use it against my unbelieving friends or acquiantances.
Somewhere along the way, we lost the picture. Somewhere, we forgot the whole purpose of scripture. A tool that God gave us through divine inspiration has now become a god, an idol. The scriptures were never intended for us to base our whole lives around. Now before you throw this down calling it heresy, hear me out. Scripture is given by God. It is a great and wonderful gift God has given us. And in the second letter to Timothy, Paul writes:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)

It is clear that Scripture is good, and useful, but scripture is a gift, a tool. This also means that scripture can be used to deal great damage when not used correctly. It is just like teaching, can you not teach people incorrectly, or lead them astray? Even unknowingly! Just because something is good, does not mean that Satan can not use it either. Lets take a look at Jesus in the wilderness when Satan came to him even with Scripture as a weapon. There in that place

Satan tells Jesus, "If You really are the Son of God then throw Yourself down. As it is written:
In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone."

Jesus replies with his own scripture, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God."

The attack is diffused, and I want to highlight something momentarily. Satan omited a very important peace of the psalm he was quoting from. Psalm 91:11 begins with Angels being given charge to protect for the purpose of keeping you in God's ways. Jesus didn't argue Scripture with Satan, he didn't fix the incompleteness of the quote. He simply responded with truth, but We'll get into that at a later time.

Scripture as we see in this illustration was used for both good and evil. It begins to make me question what I see as a key belief in church today. As shown in my early years, scripture was crammed in my brain, even the songs and hymns were straight from scripture. And it all goes to reinforce why we did this. We have been and still are under the delusion that Scripture will make someone good. Merely feeding a person Scripture makes someone know and understand godliness, and become a godly person. This belief can't be more far from the truth, yet we still insist on making Scripture the highest focus in our teachings.
I've begun to ask questions in churches that I attend, though I've found this subject can quickly become a soft spot for people. Pastors and teachers who have based their whole life on studying the Scripture or as I've heard from their mouths "the word of God" have a particularly hard time when the scriptures are called into question as a foundation for faith. Let me be to the point. Scripture is not a foundation of faith, nor is it required to believe in Christ, or to follow him. Much like I said above, this doesn't mean I don't believe Scripture has its use, or is not good. What we've seen in the church is the idea that the bible is necessary for a lasting relationship with God. I want to break this law of bondage on the people of the church. If we go back to 2 Timothy we can see what God directly reveals to his people as intended uses for Scripture: correction, reproof, instruction, completion, and doctrine. This list of uses needs no interpretation it's a pointed statement showing that Scripture is a tool. It is useful for these things, but we also can not forget that it is useful for the destruction of the soul and for tempting people as shown above.
Why do pastors and teachers feel so strongly about the bible? Why is it that they will call you out as a heretic or say you are teaching false doctrine when the bible is suggested as not a requirement for every christian? I find that it can only be because they have allowed this tool to overwhelm their lives. Their whole entire faith is based around holding a good interpretation of the Scriptures and being knowledgeable in them. In essence, the Bible has replaced the voice of God. It is quite scary to think about, though I believe we have all, at one point in our lives come to the place where we hold something God has given us as more important than God himself. It is an easy trap that Satan bates us with. We easily become too focused on the actual gift, allowing it to control our lives. This is the setting we have now. Churches with good Christians who read their Bible everyday, go to church every Sunday morning, but who for some reason, have no significant life change.
This begs the question, if the Bible by itself was powerful enough to change a persons life, why do we have Sunday churchgoers who read and study religiously but show no sign of change. Why can unbelievers read, or hear Scripture and not change? I'm reminded of a verse about the Pharisees.

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they that testify of Me but you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
- John 5:39-40 (NKJV)

This is a frightening contrast! The Pharisees, scholars of their culture knew a lot, they studied a lot, and they taught the people about God and the Law. But Jesus calls them out for what they are, saying that they have missed the point of scripture, Himself. We have digressed back to the same place, searching the scriptures for the right doctrines, the right knowledge, and the right things to say and do, that we leave Jesus on the roadside. I believe we have replaced the Holy Spirit in the trinity with the Bible, elevating it to deity status. I say this because Ive heard people in the church say that the bible is Jesus.
From a purely spiritual standpoint I find this absolutely absurd. No where in Scripture does Scripture claim for itself to be deity. This misconception has been spread through and through, based on the association of Scripture as 'The Word of God.' As soon as this started becoming prominent in the church people started seeing verses such as the opening verse to this chapter, claiming that because scripture is the Word of God, then it must also be Jesus and they must be interchangeable. This only feeds into exactly the same misbelief that the pharisees were criticized by Jesus for.
The Scriptures in themselves hold no redemption, there is no union to God through the Scripture. Jesus is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. He makes this abundantly clear to us that we can not enter eternal life any other way.
You may be left feeling wary of scripture and it may seem like something to stay away from, but surely Paul would not have written the things he did if we were supposed to stay away from the good things that are written in Scripture. Let us go back and ask a question, What is the difference between how Jesus uses scripture in the desert and how Satan uses it? They both realize the importance of Scripture and the power it holds, but Jesus understands that Scripture is best used when guided by the Holy Spirit. Satan on the otherhand realizes that Scripture is best used, in a bad sense, as a replacement for the Holy Spirit. He beckons Jesus to trust the words of Scripture, albeit unfinished, rather than what the Spirit convicts him of. To use Scripture effectively we must do so through the Holy Spirit. This isn't anything new to us though. If we are to effectively use any gift or tool that God has given us don't we need to do so in the Holy Spirit? If we try to operate outside of the Holy Spirit we are going to make a disaster and Satan will do everything he can to twist and destroy.
My intention is not that you will stop reading Scripture, or stop studying it. I would rather each person realize that without the Spirit it is ineffective, that if we promote scripture as a law we feed into pharisaism. I want people to see that if we keep refering to Scripture as 'the word of God' it dilutes and confuses both Jesus' name and the things the Holy Spirit is attempting to give to us.
So now that we've established what current culture determines the 'word of God' is, we need to establish what scripture uses to indicate the word of god. The first idea I'm drawn to is that one of Jesus' names is "The Word of God" as seen in Revelation, but this is not the only reference. We get a good idea in many different books of the bible as to what the word of God references. Often it is simply referring to a message that God gives us, and other times it is a specific and intelligent thing as seen in Hebrews:

For the word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, as is a dicerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- Hebrews 4:12-13 (NKJV)

It becomes increasingly clear that the word of God is a reference to Jesus himself. A word of God, the embodiment of Gods voice. Isn't this what Jesus is? He is God's Message to his people, a declaration of love. This is once again backed up by our original verse. What's awesome is how we begin to see the interaction between the trinity when we begin to understand Jesus as the message. In 1 Corinthians 2:6-15, Paul begins to elaborate on how the Holy Spirit reveals the message to each of us. He clearly states that without the Spirit we can not know God, or the things of God. It is critical that we grasp this. Without the Holy Spirit we can not understand the meanings of scripture, just as the pharisees did not understand the message contained within their holy texts. But don't forget! Scripture is not the primary way we hear the message conveyed through the Spirit, we hear it most through direct interaction with God, and with godly people around us. I'm reminded of Jesus' life, how often does Scripture depiect him studying and reading scriptures? We don't see him do this, maybe it's because texts weren't available like they are today, but I have an inclination that it's also because Jesus understood what was close to God's heart. Intimacy in meditation and prayer. Seeking the Spirit in all things, and seeking where it was moving next.
We must overcome the struggle of putting the Scriptures before God. Becoming once again grounded in faith in the Holy Spirit to guide us, and teach us individually and corporately. We can not hope to show the love Jesus held for the world as the pharisees did, and continuing to do this will lead in more destroyed lives than we can imagine. We are being called out to recieve God's Word wherever it is being proclaimed, not merely in the scriptures. And be ready to send it back out.

Questions and Statements To Grapple

2009-07-20T22:39:00.004-07:00

I've been reading through a book called Organic Leadership, and it has begun to spur me back into a season where I truly desire to write, and in beginning I've begun to brainstorm key questions and statements that I feel need to be explained out, or that provide a shock to the Overchurched Nation. Here's what I've got so far:

The Attack on a Man's Heart: How Culture emasculates a true leader.

The Word of God: Not Just the Bible

Common Misconceptions of Church: How did we get here?

Breaking the Chains of Bondage: Fighting Institutionalized Thought

The Power of the Mind: Knowledge in the Church

Conflict: The Ungodliness of Tolerance

To My Love

2009-06-16T14:23:00.002-07:00

If there is one thing I would ask
you to see, one thing to hold, just
one thing to understand, still one
thing to grasp with all your heart.

I Love You

Not a love founded in feeling, not a
whimsical thought that passes, or
a love based on your ability or
beauty. Surely it is not based in
my power and strength.

No! This love is grounded in
the only constant I know, the only
thing that never changes.

GOD

So if any doubt, or any attack, if
any seek to curse, or tear us apart.

Surely, God will not fail us.

- NM - 6-15-9

Failure is not in my Vocabulary.

2009-02-09T22:38:00.002-08:00

I was thinking back across my life today, and I realized that even though I've moved from one area to another, I can't think of anytime in my life that I've failed. I can very clearly see stepping blocks in my life, every situation I've been in and every time of life I have gone through has produced something in me, whether it's character, spiritual growth, or just the knowledge of the experience.. in these times I see that there is no failure, there is simply growth to a goal of success.

The Focus

2009-01-14T20:20:00.003-08:00

So I was having a talk with my buddy Marc about church, and he asked the question "What do you think the primary focus of small groups should be?" I though about it for a while and this is what I came up with:

"The primary focus of a small group is to provide an atmosphere where the people can be open and real about who they are, so that they can be encouraged in their spirit and fostered into a unity with God the Father, and Spirit of Christ. The small group is there to call up the good in people so that they can live the love that Christ proclaims. The key is intimacy, both with each other and with God."

This is a very loaded statement so I'm going to unpack it a bit. The atmosphere I'm talking of is one that the leaders create. It is an atmosphere of love, and acceptance that allows the people in the group to drop their guard and be vulnerable. It is an atmosphere that demands dependence on each other by it's very existence, and at it's core disallows independence. Not that an independent person can not come, or will be ousted from the group, or will be looked down upon, but by very nature the atmosphere of a small group should destroy the part of a person that feels they need to seclude them self from others, or hide, or play a fake self for everyone to see. Because at their heart, all of these (exclusion, fake selves, etc.) destroy the small group. If someone is fake, the group does not benefit. If someone is closed off and secluded the group does not benefit.

The second thing is how the leader creates this atmosphere. I believe, from personal experience, that this atmosphere is created by the leader(s) in the group being completely vulnerable to everyone else. Only when a precedent of opening up is set, will the group begin to move forward into intimacy. Intimacy is always the goal we look to. If the leader is fake about who they are, or secludes them self it creates an atmosphere of independence, and destroys any hope of true intimacy between people.

The third thing is that when we become intimate and begin to have open relationships with those around us, it begins to give us perspective in our relationship with God. It forces us to be real about who we are with God, and it allows us to encourage those in our group and the struggles they are having, when someone begins to share their heart and their struggles and the good and the bad, it allows everyone in the group to unite and come to that person. In times of need the group can fulfill that, or in times of joy the group can be joyful in it.

The fourth thing is the ability to call up the good in people. Now this is one of my favorites. As we begin to get close to people, more intimate with who they are and begin to see their true self, we also begin to see the persons giftings and we can also see where God is taking that person. We can stand beside them and call out the good things that God has promised them, we can esentially give that person a Hope. Often I hear about people who don't have any clue what their gifts are or they don't know how to use them. That's mostly because we don't have good intimate small groups that call out these things and allow people to practice and use their giftings!

The last thing I stated was that the key was intimact. And this is basically what it all comes down to. It doesn't matter what you want to call these groups of people, it doesn't matter what the structure of it is, but the primary goal is intimacy with both man, and God. As I see it the only way this can be accomplished is in groups of people that meet house to house on a regular basis with the desire to see each other grow in God and intimacy with him.

When all of this begins to happen, we see that intimacy breeds more intimacy. When you cast away the fake selves, and you start being real with each other you can take it anywhere. You can bring the things that God is teaching you to a larger group. You are freed to move in those giftings that were called out wherever God may ask you to go. It is a support network, a relationship. God is relational so why do we keep trying to teach ourselves intimacy with him through non-relational venues?

After I read my original statement again I realized that what I just described is the Primary focus of the body of Christ. This should be what churches are built around, and what churches are built to do. Churches should put as much of their resources as they can into promoting this focus, equipping people to be able to lead these groups, and showing people intimacy with each other and God. It's not 'training' or 'knowledging up' people. We often think that equipping people is giving them the right knowledge or showing them how to do something. But this just goes back to trying to approach a relationship from a non-relationship teaching. The only way you can equip a leader to lead a group is by pulling them through the experience of a group.

So, Here's to no longer trying to feed the delusion that we can show people how to live a relationship through non-relational means.

Relationally speaking, or not?

2009-01-11T14:24:00.002-08:00

Well a friend of mine wanted to go visit this church I used to go to, so we grabbed another friend of ours and headed over. He had heard some things about it, and been asked why he hadn't tested it out so he wanted to see what it was like for himself, and while I was there I realized a few things.

Let me begin the first by saying something bold. I find it offensive that when I enter a church of believers I get preached at. What I mean to say is that, preaching is inherently for pre-christians. That's right, preaching, large masses of crowds coming to see someone speak the Words of God, is for those who are not in a relationship with him. This is what we see in scripture. We see Peter do this, we see Paul do this in synagogues, we see Jesus do this in his preachings with large crowds. What I find offensive is that a pastor is preaching out to me without even knowing who I am. Church is supposed to be founded entirely on the relational aspect of God. Church is relational at it's core. It disturbs me that I can be preached at about needing to have vision, about needing to have God's heart, and about needing to be in his presence and in a relationship with him, but the way it's conveyed is in the most non-relational way possible. If a pastor wants to be effective what should he do? pastor a group! Not preach to 1000+ beleivers. Don't get me wrong, the message was good. It had good stuff to it. But it's like I was talking with my buddies before we got there about efficient vs effective. Preaching to 1000+ people is a very efficient way to convey God's message, the problem is that it's not effective, you don't see change like you could if you did things differently. There is a barrier that only approaching things relationally will overcome.

This leads me into my second thought: It seems that the church and it's leaders are fine with telling their congregations how to live, and telling them how God desires them to live. The problem is that to see growth you have to show it. I mean you can't just teach a message about how to live your life. You can't preach a message about vision, and seeing God working. You absolutely must approach each person in a relationship and show them in that relationship for them to change, and for them to move out in what God has given them. It occured to me that the way we do church, the way we interact with a large congregation is entirely set up to promote individualism, and pride in ones self about how they are doing in God. We only come to church once a week, and hear a motivational message about how we should be having this or that happen in our lives, or where we should be seeing God working. Then if we can imitate that somehow, even if only for a moment we can return and feel good about ourselves because we accomplished something. It kills every relational aspect I can think of, it strips God down to a formula and rips out the primary function of the church. Fellowship.

Who are we?

2009-01-06T23:40:00.002-08:00

This last Sunday we listened to a Graham Cook message in the leadership meeting, it was good, really good. But one thing was mentioned that there were different kinds of churches, Pioneer churches, resource churches, other types of churches. And it seemed as though the group thinks we are going into a 'resource' church phase in our growth. I find that all fine and dandy except for one thing. It smells of uselessness. And what I mean about that is this: How many churches claim to be of something? I see Bible churches, missional churches, new age churches, protestant churches, catholic churches. yadda yadda. I realize that it's good to know what you are and where you are going and how you are going to get there. But I don't think it needs to be defined and tagged. That's the whole reason why we got to where we are in the evangelical churches today. We want one that might fit anyones lifestyle instead of realizing that we just box God and box ourselves when we do it.

I think that when we begin to define ourselves through a phrase or attempt to stamp a single title onto our church names it boxes up what God has in store for us. It means we begin to get tunnel vision, and it also can mean that we push out people that may have different ideas on how to follow God or do his work. Churches primacy is to promote good relationships between believers and with the community. The second job of a church is to provide the structure, the mechanics on how it all fits together. If the mechanics ever trump the relationship side of things you need to throw away your structure and rethink how you are doing this God thing. It flows over into every single aspect of our lives though, it doesn't just affect how we do church. If I give myself a job title am I only that job title? or are there more layers to me? Can I be more than one thing during a given day? Absolutely, in fact depending on what relationship I'm interacting with at any time I will be a completely different person because that is what is required of me. How come the church doesn't do the same thing? Why do we need to box ourselves up, label ourselves and try to fit into the world. It just doesn't work like that.

The Truth

2009-01-06T23:18:00.002-08:00

I'm beginning to realize how destructive it is to deal with anything but truth in a persons heart. Over the past few months I've seen relationships trashed, people hurt, and other just let go because people either don't want to seek the truth in their own lives, or they don't want to tell others how they are truly doing or what the true problem is.

The ONLY way that the church can operate is if we are open to one another, if we are truthful about what we think and feel. But I'm beginning to see that right now, the biggest and most destructive part of the church is its inability to truthfully share thoughts and feelings between believers. And not only the sharing part is the problem, it's also on the listeners part. It sickens me that someone can pour out how they think and how they feel about something, only to be told that they are wrong, or what they are seeing isn't truth.

When it comes down to it, we can only deal with people from where they are at, and I know that this is something that many of the leaders have been saying for a while. "You have to meet the person where they are at." I'm sure you've all heard it too. The problem is that quite simply, we say it, but we don't truly do it, or we don't do it in any sort of a pure way. When we try to meet the person it's so we can get something out of it. We want to listen to their problems or heart issues, only so we can advance our own mindset into them, or so we can turn them into something that we desire. I have seen this actively and it is complete idiocy.

All of this simply comes back to the most simple desire of the human heart. We need, and when I say need, I mean we absolutely need, to be wanted and needed by others. It's not a casual thing, that's why we have rejects, that's why we have cliques, it's why we have gangs, and all sorts of other social groups that make up society and even churches. People have to have a place where they are needed otherwise they will cease to function completely. There must be an outlet for their desires and their heartfelt issues or they will wither up and die in a slow painful loneliness. What's horrible is that what I mentioned above, about some using a persons truthfulness or openness to manipulate or get their own way, only feeds into the perversion of someone being needed. It pulls at their heart to open up, then when the person realizes they have been used they begin to close up. It violates the trust, and honestly I think I've come to a place in my life where I absolutely can not trust certain people or what they tell me because of what they've said and done in the past. It's really hard for me to ignore repetetive behavior.

It is my heartfelt desire that I, and everyone in the church be able to be truthful to one another. Not making up untrue answers about how we feel about things. Not hiding behind selfish desires. Not tricking people into opening up for our own motivations. But true sharing of how we feel and move in God, and where our real struggles are. Only in this way do I think we will ever be able to function at all in the world. And it is only when we begin to actually care about our fellow brothers that our love will be known to all the world.

The Soul of a Man

2008-12-21T23:32:00.004-08:00

My soul yearns for the day when it can take a break, seek the rest and shade from a world gone mad. No more cries to get things done, no more expectations of living right, no more guilt of things done incorrectly, or imperfections staring back through unforgiving eyes. My soul seeks the day when all is silent, and all is peace. A day when we can look each other through and through, and give our souls anew. I only wait for that day, when all is as I feel it should. A day when beauty is seen, truly, and known to be. This day is where I wait, my mind is completely transfixed, unmoved by this world around me- I will make it- I will see it through. I will go through all hells to meet my soul in its time of rest. Sometimes- though. I feel as if I will never make it, as if the days get longer and longer. The weight of my soul begins to burden me, the idea of rest no longer comforts me. Has my mind betrayed my hope? Is there no rest for my soul? Will I always be traveling, seeking, yearning for an Oasis in this desert? I only hope these tears will comfort me to go on, if I can feel this hallow, this bereft, this hopeless. Then surely I am able to feel even greater joy and peace. Where is my God- Where is my soul- Where has my heart run off to?

God

2008-11-06T20:39:00.001-08:00

He is a rhythmical master of
Lyrical waves that pull us toward
A life of being in movement with
Songs of loving kindness coming from
Lips kissed by Holiness which
Comes from His only Son who
Sacrificed all to see us enter
His wonderful kingdom with
A promise of everlasting life so
We can spread this love from
our rhythmical lyrical master.

The Waiting.

2008-10-20T21:43:00.004-07:00

I've been going through this period of time in my life where the thing I'm hearing most is wait. A lot of times I think I get too focused on the future, not that the waiting is bad, but that I want the future to be now so that I can get over the current period of time. But I realized something, The future is not now for a very good reason, I'm not ready for it. There are things I need to learn before I get there. What I'm beginning to realize is that it's not about being in the future. When I get too focused on the future I lose perspective of what is going in and around my life. I lose connection with the reality that God has me here for a reason. Maybe it's to grow, or to help others grow, but if I continually look ahead and try to forget about now I'm not going to do anyone, or myself any good at all. It's crippling. So I find that it is in my best interest and those I have relationships with if I put aside living in the future and purpose to enjoy now.

The Red Haired Man

2008-10-11T21:08:00.001-07:00

The Red Haired Man

I have a vision of a stalwart man -

unhindered by the world around -

His convictions and passions burn

within his breast - And he moves

from the fierceness of Fire.

this man was not always so-

A similar passion burned him through-

but it did not move or drive him.

It sat a dormant flame - waiting to be released

from its prison of Fear - This man

stood before his life with a choice

in each hand - one, to be a man

with purpose - the other, a man

with no hope of life beyond.

Time

2008-10-11T21:05:00.001-07:00

Time

God is time - the silence

between our breath - He waits

in our Dreaming Trance -

we push and pull to escape

from destiny - He is the Beginning -

and the End - The Genesis of Fate -

will only come when entering -

through this narrow Gate.

- Just a poem I wrote a bit ago. Enjoy!

Singing & Music

2008-09-16T08:23:00.002-07:00

Not to bash horribly on anything specific.. Okay never mind, this is to bash specifically on certain things, mostly because I want to shock people out of their current mindsets.
I don't think singing and music are very good forms of worship at all. I don't think they do very much for God either. I'm sure he smiles at us when he sees us singing and playing music in his name, but I don't think it's actually the singing or the music that hits him, and I don't think it will ever be. In fact I have an idea that God is less about what is being done and more about why we are doing it. What's our motivation? I know the thing that puts a smile on God every time is not singing, or playing music. It's not necessarily dancing or saying the name of Jesus. It's quite simply imitation, but not simply imitation because it's the right thing to do. But imitation because we desire to be like God. Our very existence is worship! Were we not made in God's image? I can only see that singing and music are primarily not for God, but rather for ourselves. It's a form of self-edification. It is designed to give us the realization of who God is, because we clearly can't do it any other way in a group setting. Teachings get interrupted, people blow their noses while someone is praying, but the cacophony of the song gives us something to focus on which gives our minds a moment to relax and begin reminding ourselves of who God is to us. Which I may get a little dismayed from saying because sometimes I wonder why we need to keep singing the same songs every time we meet together or why we need to continually remind ourselves that God is this same ideal. In the end though it becomes clear that singing isn't worship, and neither is playing music. And to take it a step further, the content of either isn't particularly going to make a difference either, I mean sure there are some things you can't let escape your mouth and still be pleasing to God, but they are few and far between. It all comes down to where your heart is. The best example I can give is Song of Solomon.

To Lead

2008-09-16T08:05:00.002-07:00

I've never thought of myself as a great leader, yet often I'm referred to as someone that's stable, and unwavering. I keep hearing people tell me that I'm a leader, that I have what it takes. I get asked to pray about things in this ministry, and even beyond that I get asked to lead. It's an unusual feeling to sit down with your peers and have them continually tell you that you have the ability to do something, and they would like you to take hold of it, but not have any motivation to do so. All the things they say sound good, and have good intentions, but their is always a wall in the way. Is it complacency? Maybe it's just a lack of desire? Possibly fear? I wonder sometimes if I really want to push any further here. Maybe I've just lost hope in the ministry that's going on? Maybe it's time for me to move on, or maybe I just need to find a motivation and pick up where others can't.
That's not how I work, I can't pick up someone's work. It's too confusing, it's all mixed up and disorderly. It's better to just start over from scratch. How many times have we 'started new?' How many times have we started fresh? How many times has God groaned and asked us what we were even doing?

WHY DO WE TRY TO MAKE A HUGE EVENT OUT OF FOLLOWING GOD?!

God has never been an event for me, so why do we try to fit him into a box like that? He's an all encompassing being, he requires our very selves, yet we box him up and say we 'pray' to him at certain times of the day or discuss what the best way to talk with him is. We sing and play music for him, yet when we gather during the week he's just a thought in the back of our minds. I can't lead a person in that mindset, whether by ignorance or by choice. You don't just converse with friends about who they are and tell them how much you like them. You don't set down a specific day every week to fit them into your boxed up life. You accept them for who they are and you do life. Why is it so hard for us to see God like this?

Randomness

2008-07-12T01:20:00.002-07:00

You live a life of desperation- of putrefaction
too afraid to disprove yourself- too afraid
to find truth in yourself- You sit with fears of
knowing- fears of growing- Dissuaded by simple
pleasures thrust before your dog-like attention-
cover the pain- Here- have some medication
to soften the soul- just another option
to drug your brain so you can't feel cessation
of the things you hold so dear-just be clear
with me- don't hide behind linguistic curtians-
or self-made lies to trick your fragile mind-

More On Prayer

2008-06-17T12:12:00.002-07:00

Last night Patrick, Marc, and I went and prayed in the Garage. During this time I was thinking about prayer and how to pray. So here's what I wrote.

Another year of events, I always like to look back and see where I've been growing. It's nice to be able to look and see where my friends have been growing and where the Lord is taking us. It's encouraging to see these patterns of growth in our lives. In prayer we have learned in the past that it's all about giving God the Glory, humbling ourselves and giving God everything. Prayer begins by just praising and declaring who God is in your life right now. When we acknowledge who God is to us we release his power in our lives and allow God to move and work in those areas where we need Him most. It's a release in the spirit, and a release in our spirit happens. A change of character begins, that is to say we begin to transform into the likeness of Jesus. We enter into a place of communion with God only by first declaring the truth of God in our lives. This is shown in "Father you are in Heaven. May your name by exalted. May it be made greater than any other name." This is the key to what we may refer to as "being in the spirit." This opening prayer is a mindset that we can enter into and live in. it forces our minds into a place where we consciously recognize God and His will in our lives. If we declare God we can't declare ourselves or any other god. And so in that sense we are continually thrust into the spirit of God and His presence.

The second thing we realize when praying is our need for God to do his work in our lives. It is our reliance on God himself. "Give us what we need for today and keep us from wrongdoing." This is a cry for God to help us. It is here that we bring before God those around us that we have a heart for. It is in this time that we bring before God those things that we most dearly care about, and are most impressed on our minds and hearts. The friend that has a need that we can not fulfill. Often we then move into meditation, a waiting time. The questions have been asked, and we are waiting on God for an answer, or direction. We wait for a response in the spirit, whether it is in an action, direction, prophecy, a teaching or any of the other gifts this is when God uses his spirit most greatly to influence our prayer. It is only after we have first declared God in our lives and then wrestled off the burdens of the day that we can begin to be guided. Not that we aren't already being guided by our spirit, but rather if we don't first give God glory and second give to him our deepest concerns, there will be something grabbing at our attention. Attempting to interrupt what God may be trying to communicate to us. This response that we are waiting for is almost always a direction for our immediate situation. It is a call, and a push for us to give up something more and allow God to fill its place. it is most certainly the time when we will grow the most in the Spirit, and it is out of these times and only these times that I have ever seen and heard anyone get clear direction from God. This is why the life of prayer is so important. Yes God gives direction in other ways, and yes he speaks clearly through other means but if you desire to hear God speak and see him move this is how I've Him do it most powerfully and most clearly. It is only when we begin to discipline ourselves and take time away from the noise that we can clearly hear the Lord's voice. Honestly it just comes down to us being able to clear our hearts and minds, and then allowing God to completely take over.

Its important that I mention that when we get to the 'end' of this cycle of prayer, that it merely restarts. This is a model for continual prayer. You can even follow this through any situation that you are presented with, it is merely about being in a mindset of love. Here's a simple example. I'm at work and see a particular coworker, maybe in the past I've viewed them as a nuisance, but instead of letting those feelings well up, or thinking 'Oh, joy another day with this guy.' I overcome this by simply praying. Firstly giving God thanks for that person, that is declaring who God is in that person and who God has made my coworker. This gives God his place. Then I can ask God what he would like me to give this person today. Maybe God wants me to just be a friend to them, or listen to them. But until I ask and then listen for the movement of the spirit I can not be used by God.

As I'm writing this I'm remembering that this last step encompasses the phrase, "your kingdom come, your will be done." This is listening then acting upon what the Spirit reveals to us. How else is God's will and Kingdom established? It is only through us seeking God and giving Him the time in our lives.

My basement

2008-06-15T21:27:00.003-07:00

There is a shelf in
my basement- all full
of trinkets, pictures
and souvenirs-
each a separate piece
of my past- a memory
or part of what I once was-
memories of where I've
been and who I've met-
glimpses of my virtues
and my vices- these
keepsakes are not me-
but they have shaped me
and made me who I am-
Without this basement
I would be nobody-
and so- with each passing
month I venture down-
and place another piece of
what has made me- Me-
upon that dusty shelf-
in hopes that one day
someone will see these
memories- my stored up
souvenirs- my thoughts
and pictures of life- maybe-
just maybe- they may learn
a bit of wisdom from this
basement in my soul-

Change in Action

2008-06-11T01:56:00.003-07:00

I was reading a bit more in The Divine Conspiracy and I came upon a quote from another book that I had read in the past. It was from Brother Lawrence's - Practicing the Presence of God. Here's the excerpt from that book:

Our sanctification does not depend upon changing our works, but in doing that for God's sake which we commonly do for our own . . . It is a great delusion to think that the times of prayer ought to differ from other times. We are as strictly obliged to adhere to God by action in the time of action as by prayer in the season of prayer.

Now Dallas Willard goes on to conclude that we need to learn to include God in our daily affairs. That is to say it's not about changing our actions outwardly, but rather primarily changing our heart. He states that Jesus' teachings show us how to live the life we have been given, rather than what to do with the life. Now this may even be something we have heard ourselves speak. I may have even said it myself. But I'm coming to realize that this is only half of the picture. Since we live our lives in relationship, this aspect of still doing what we do but including God in it is only one-half of a relationship. You see, when you are in a loving relationship you want to include another person in everything you do. You want to show them all the cool points in your life, if you don't do this, then really you aren't opening up to that person all the way. And this is precisely what Brother Lawrence and Dallas Willard have found. The revelation that we can include God in all that we do, through prayer or other communication. But if we only do this we are missing out on what the Disciples discovered when Jesus came to them and said, "Follow me." In that instance we see Jesus asking the disciples to give up something precious, the only thing they knew how to do to make a living. When I see instances over and over again where people sacrifice things for God, where people give of their time and money to do things that God desires, I begin to realize that it is not living one way or the other, but rather integrating the two. You see if we only did things for God, if we only did things in his name, but our hearts weren't right about it we would be like Pharisees, who did all the right things for God but to gain glory for themselves. And on the other hand if we do whatever we want to do whenever we want, and try to include God into it we become quite irreverent, and impatient with how God works in our lives. Neither is a healthy way to live. The only way to grow in the Lord is to have both active. We must actively seek to have God be a constant part of everything we do, and we must actively give up things in our life to do his work. Without both of these we become very lopsided.

Instrumental Music!

2008-06-05T04:52:00.004-07:00

A lot of people wonder why I like instrumental music. They wonder how I can listen to electronica or techno. Some people don't understand why I listen to acoustic guitar. I like to listen to these types of music because it harmonizes with who I am. I can let the music take my spirit someplace. I can let it seep down to my core as I listen to the rythm and the changes in the vibrations. I can sit down and let my mind wander about where the music is taking me. Maybe I'm in a nice quiet field, the wind softly blowing on my neck, taking away the mid afternoon heat. The air a little dry, and my skin is just beginning to warm up. It's a place of peace, and music can instantly take me there. Words would only ruin the image, they would shatter everything. That's why I often listen to music that has no words. I'd rather imagine the story for myself than have someone implant one in my mind. Maybe it's a conformity thing, I'd rather think for myself than have someone else tell me where the music is supposed to go, or try and lead me.

Serene

2008-06-05T03:54:00.003-07:00

Wont you join me in the moonlight
Waitin' for the rain to come
Wont you join me out at midnight
Waitin' for the wind to move
Wont you join me in the field
Below the clouded heaven
Listenin' to the crickets sing
Watchin' for those rays of red
That'll turn this night to morn'

I'll wait in the moonlight
When the rain begins to come

I'll wait for you at midnight
When the wind begins to move

More Rant

2008-06-03T13:34:00.004-07:00

I got an anonymous response to my last rant, which sparked up this one. The comment mentioned that relationships are not built overnight, and that we can't come into a full understanding overnight. And that we don't become Adults overnight.

I definitely agree with this, we don't know God and who he is overnight. But I think we bank too heavily on this fact. I think we have been ingrained with this western idea of how to live for God. I think we use it as a crutch, or an answer as to why we aren't actually doing God's work. The reason why I say this is because of how long we have been going to churches, and how long it takes a new Christian to be like us. I've seen new Christians come into churches and after about 6 or so months they seem almost indistinguishable from others who have been going there for their wholes lives. So when I'm presented with the idea that our walk is lifelong, and it takes a long time to grow, yet I see new believers that can be caught up into what is already going on in the church in a very short time, I'm quite skeptical at our progress in rediscovering the deep relationship that I see in the bible. How long did it take Saul to change into Paul? How long was it before he was intimately moving in the Lord? How long did it take the church at Thessolonica to be built? In Acts 17 it tells us that Paul was preaching in Thessolonica for 3 weeks, just three weeks and God moved through him to build a solid church. We even see in the book of Thesselonians that Paul declares that these people, who were brought together in a mere 3 weeks now have love that is an example to all the land. So much has there love been made known that it is being reported about to everyone.

I think we get caught up into wanting to know. Wanting to understand things. And we forget that this knowledge and revelation comes from Love. It comes from laboring in the Lord. I'm struck with the question in my mind, How come our love is not known in the whole region?

The disciples were discipled by Jesus for three years, and we have a teacher just like him, the Holy Spirit. So in my mind I simply can not accept the idea that the reason why we aren't moving in similar power of the disciples is because it's a long road, or that it takes a long time to grow into an adult. I feel it has everything to do with our desire for the Lord. If God trusts us, and he knows our heart, then he will allow us to move in his power and authority no matter how long we've been following him. If we have the faith, that is action derived from hope, God will move in big ways.

The World of Cora

2008-06-03T00:52:00.000-07:00

Ki'kara slumped along the trail. The Torrin's back glazed red from the setting sun, and his disfigured face shone a bright blue from the now rising second sun. The Torrin's unusually sized limbs pushed him down the dirt trail, kicking up a wake of dust as he went. Those behind him shuffled along in much the same manner, some forty Torrin moving in all the world's fury. Vengeance was in their eyes. They were people of the Land, the Torrin loved the land, they worshiped her essence. Some might even proclaim to be one with her, but now it was time to act. The other races were beginning to abuse the Land of Cora, and it was time for the Earth-God's fury to be made known.

Not long ago the Arlan had opened a mine near the village. They broke the earth's skin, moving dirt, root, and rock in a tremendous effort to unearth the wondrous multi-colored stones. The King had given a decree to all the land; each village was to search for any cora stones, unearth them, and eventually hand them over to be used for the King's purposes. And now it seemed that the Earth herself was going to demolish the tiny mining village.

Late Night Rant

2008-06-02T03:45:00.004-07:00

This is just a rant, my feelings pulled out about things that are going on. I don't like church meetings. I like the people, I like talking. I don't like getting together and pulling out our bibles in a large group so we can discuss what we should be doing, or what we can do better in our lives. I don't think it's healthy at all. I think we spend to much time sitting around in our groups talking about how good things could be instead of actually having a relationship. We'd rather throw around intellectual ideas and contemplate the goodness of what we are thinking of doing, and how it will touch God's heart. But when it comes time to act, to show our Righteousness, our Faith, what do we do? How often do we talk about God even with our Christian friends? Isn't that what drives our lives, or do we live for something else? Who are we to call ourselves christians in the first place? Are we even little Christs? Do we act like it, preach it, Do we even believe it? If we believed it wouldn't we be walking in the God given power we see in scripture? Are we ready to even harness the spirit? How many of us have dedicated our lives to the point where we will actually give up some time and seek the spirit. I don't mean like get up and read our bibles in the morning for ten minutes or have a nice little scheduled prayer time. I mean how many of us see that God wants us to grow in an area and then specifically pray for hours, or DAYS about it without ceasing. When was the last time any of us fasted? I don't mean give up a little time in our lives, I mean fasted, secluded ourselves away from everything that we might desire and simply sought the Lord. Prayed, read through scripture, prayed, talked with the Spirit. Let him consume our very being. re these things we do on a regular basis? Have we learned to do things things when the Lord prompts us to? Are not these the tools that God has given us to hear his voice, has He not shown us and taught us both in the Spirit and through scripture? I guess it really comes down to our Will. Do we really want to give up all the other gods in our life and seriously consider letting God be the only god. I don't think we actually understand what a god is, I don't think we understand what worship is.

What are some things we need to change in our lives so we can focus more on the Lord? Surely these things don't happen overnight do they? Well if Jesus can heal a blind man and he sees immediately, I think we can change our behavior overnight. If Jesus can tell a man to get up and walk and he immediately walks, I think we can commit to letting God be the true ruler over our lives. Is He the true ruler now? How many decisions do we make in a day without even giving any thought to what God desires for us? Even over the simple things such as where we eat, or when we get up in the morning. I was reading a little about trust earlier this week it was quite good so let me share a little bit with you. If a small child began to hide away bits of food after dinner every evening, and the parent found out wouldn't they be appalled? If the child was hiding away food for later it would not be normal at all! It would show that they didn't actually trust their parents to provide for them, like parents do. But aren't we like that Child? Don't we store away provisions or maybe not give out what the Lord has given us for the day because we want to make sure we have enough for ourselves tomorrow? Don't we live thinking that we need to save up for tomorrow on our own? Do we truly trust that the Lord will give us the things that we need for the day today? Or are we so ingrained into a cultural mindset that the only way to be financially stable is having a nice bank account with money in it that will get you by? Don't get me wrong the Lord does provide and it is a good thing to save money for different things. What I'm asking is, do we have a tendency to let that savings go out of control, and in doing so force us to be stingy with our money when maybe the Lord would like us to give freely as needed where we see. It goes beyond that in my mind, not only do we give money but are we willing to call up friends and family and share our passions with them, or are we so stuck in a 'bible study' mindset that we can't do anything relating to the Lord and those we are friends with until we come together on a designated night or morning. I think it's rubbish that we don't actually talk with each other daily, not everyone to everyone. But those we call friends or are more close to. I think we don't understand true friendship, we hold our time selfishly, and kill ourselves in the process. Our culture is more obsessed with doing things, having a visual experience, being entertained that we just like to flow along in it. Okay I want to be entertained to... But in all of it I think it may be better to forgo all of it. Just throw the whole entertain me thing out the window and start having real meaningful relationships with those around us. How many close friends do we have?

I realize that all of us have different strengths and weaknesses and different areas where we can grow in the Lord. This is mostly from my point of view and the things I see going on in the church as a whole, not just the small groups that I am a part of, not just my own life but definitely them to a large degree, but I think these are issues that we need to confront as a whole. Not to bash them intellectually or figure them out. But because until we start being like Christ we can't change the World. Until we start living like we only want God and Him alone we can't hope to see his Kingdom established on this earth. Until we give of our lives and let God control us He can't trust us with the same power that He gave Jesus. I mean if we don't even trust Him very much, why would he trust us to do good? If we don't commune with God, communicate with Him about everything, why are we so intent on demanding things from Him? I realize we are to ask for things, but that assumes we know what to ask for. And even then it means that we need to relate with him. How many of you would ask an acquaintance to buy something for you? Someone you only say hi to occasionally, wouldn't it be an awkward situation? Isn't that how we feel sometimes when we ask things from the Lord? That little awkwardness creeping up inside us, cause we aren't quite sure what we should and shouldn't ask for, We don't quite know How to ask for something, and many times we doubt that we will even get an answer. Honestly I really think a lot of this has to do with a simple thing called time. We don't know how to use our time well, we throw it away, we do what we want with our time. So lets use our time better, eh? I know I can. Anyhow I think that's all for my late night rant, Have a nice morning, or.. Day.

My Mind

2008-05-30T21:39:00.003-07:00

power to move- power to breathe-
power to hold- power to be-
power to form this energy--
lines of blue- lines of gray-
call lines, and show lines to every line.
Lost in all the lines, and lanes. Traffic lights
always changing from green to yell0w,
and now red. Stop. STOP
Signs. Signs of change, signs of life
sign the line and sell your rights, give
your right away to live your life
my rights, and your rights are more important
than their rights. Who's right?
Right turns, left turns down alleyways and
side-streets. they take you places you
always remember, memories and flashbacks
of all the times you spent with families or
friends. The fun times, and the bad times,
the sad times, and mostly all the time.
Time-- money. Work. Work for fun, or
not at all. Work to help, work to change.
So much work to be done. End.

Changing God - Questions?

2008-05-24T19:57:00.004-07:00

It's like God waits to see if anyone wants something enough to ask for it. Especially in the Old Testament, if I person could appeal to the ultimate-loving side of God, that part was the one that made the decision in the end, when initially it was the destructive and furious side of Him that was going to act.

Now, in the New Covenant, I'm not sure if that is somehow different. I think it could be, because we have the opportunity to always be in tune with the nature and will of God, and he has no wrath towards mankind anymore (until the very end, and then, only for unbelief). Do you think maybe it has something to do with the times?
- Jen Jen

So Jen Jen left the above comment on my blog, with the question at the end. So to clarify a few things. I don't think it's very much different from the Old Testament, sure the Lord, as you said, does not hold wrath anymore for those who go against His will. I think it has less to do with the times we are in, and more to do with how much Faith are we willing to move out in. I see people in the Old Testament that move out in Faith, knowing that something is good, and they bring God into it. The biggest story I can remember is when Jonathon climbed the mountain with his armor bearer, leaving it in God's hands whether they would die or not. I can imagine him praying as they climb up saying Lord, give us the sign, deliver us and work your miracle. In the same way I think if we move out in Faith we ask God to change his plans. In my mind I believe it has nothing to do with the era, the culture, or the times we live in, and everything to do with how much faith we put in the Lord.

Re-Think the Lord's Prayer

2008-05-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

I've been reading some more in Dallas Willard's - Divine Conspiracy, and I've come across such a powerful concept within the Lord's prayer that I feel compelled to share it with all of you.

Now the Lord's Prayer as we call it begins with the phrase, "Our Father, Who is in heaven." Now this 'Our Father' is a title we give to God, in essence it's like a child who would call out to their Father when they were in need. This idea of Father is centered in a child who knows their parent, and thinks they are everything. A child would be shocked to hear someone say their parents weren't the very best at something. Don't we see children saying things such as well my Dad can.. Well mine can do this.. It's because they have a loyalty to their own parents, and it is out of this small jealousy for their parents that children operate at times. So too should we, when we come to our Father address him as such. This title of Father is a title of reverence. When we go back and look at how the Hebraic people would call on the Lord we see them call out for Yahweh, but we don't actually know how it's pronounced, it was so sacred that they would not say his name with the vowels. I think we have a lot of respect we need to relearn in the church about just how Sacred God's name is.

So when Jesus is telling us to pray like this, I believe he is trying to tell us that first we need to center our spirits with that of himself. We must have a deep respect and reverence, even jealousy for God, and who he is in our lives.

The second part of the line continues by saying "Who is in heaven," now this may seem like a simple declaration, but I think we have lost what this statement truly means. In the western sense we seem to think when we say "in heaven" that we are actually referring to some place that's really far away from where I am at right now. So when I would say "Our father who is in heaven." I'm actually saying, God, you're far away so I hope my prayer reaches you some how.. But when I go begin to rethink all the different heavens that Jesus referred to, we find that the heaven here is not some distant spiritual heaven, but it is actually referring to the air. It's like when Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God is at Hand" or the Kingdom of Heaven is amongst you. This is not some far away heaven, no it's a heaven that is active and powerful amongst those who believe in Christ and who follow his teachings and his character. When I begin to see the phrase in this context I begin to see it more like this:

"Father, you are near me. You are so near that you are listening in on this prayer even as I'm speaking it out. You're so near to me Lord that you feel the hot breathe coming from my mouth as I pray. We're so close that I can feel the movement of your Spirit within my prayer. As it not only shows me what to pray, but also teaches me new ways to pray."

The next thing Jesus tells us to pray is "Hallowed be your name" this statement is much similar to that of the opening one "Father." It goes back to the issue of reverence. We don't really understand anymore what it means to Hallow something. The word seemingly lost in Halloween or ghosts. Really though, to Hallow just means to sanctify. This is a prayer that the Lord's name will be sanctified. It's more a prayer for our human needs, we need to see the Lord's name sanctified because human life itself needs to be primarily concerned about the Lord. It's not good when we focus down on ourselves, we were created for something bigger. As long as we try to hallow or sanctify our own names, or show them to be greater than all others we lose our meaning in life. The emphasis needs to be on seeing that the Lord's name is held high, and seeing that his name is above all others.

Then we have this wonderful request, "Thy will be done, as in heaven so also on earth." Matthew adds the phrase "Thy kingdom come" as a little bit more of an explanation. It gives a little more context to this statement, letting us know that Where God's effective will is being carried out, that is in all actuality where the Kingdom is. let me re-phrase that to emphasize it more. Wherever God's will is being done, wherever His will is being carried out. That is where God's Kingdom is residing. God's Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, one that has no end, and has always been. And so when we pray for God's will to be done here and now, we are asking that any other Kingdoms that currently may have control over certain areas of our lives, or other people will be displaced. We are asking God to replace his will and his control with that of any other. This phrase especially brings into prayer those people we have on our hearts that are running from God, or those institutions that stand for evil things. We are asking God to have his will done, and not any other.

More to come--

Get Passionate

2008-05-19T01:27:00.002-07:00

I got a revelation during a gathering this last Thursday, and it occurred to me that we try insanely hard to schedule meetings around trying to instill people with a passion. We try to push people into a place where they are actively seeking the Lord, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I'd love to see all my friends on fire for the Lord and seeking him out on a daily basis. I'd love to see our gatherings change so they weren't centered around teaching, but more open to all gifts, and all ways of learning and sharing our experiences. But for now we are on this topic of passions, and while we were discussing different ways to take our gatherings in the church it occurred to me that we were in part attempting to schedule passion. It doesn't work. You can't schedule passion. Passion comes out of the person that you are, and the only way you stir a passion is through knowledge of something better in your life. Why do we get passionate about something? I think it's because we realize that what we have isn't good enough, it's not the best. We realize that God has something better in store for us; maybe we have tasted or seen something new about God and we wont back down until we get it. I think this is where we get our passion to continue. Some people have a passion for music, some for reading scripture, some for writing, and others many different things. The point is that when you find a passion, you include the Lord in it and allow him to move through it, this is where our relationship with the Lord is most active, and it should be. If we can't let God use our passions or our deepest strongest desires then we aren't really submitting to him. I think we get focused a little too much on just floating through life, we take for granted the things we have in the spirit, and we settle for less than the best. We lose that passion for moving in our gifts. So how do we get it back? How do we continue to move in our passions? I think it has to do with keeping our minds sober. Not forgetting where we came from in our walk, and not forgetting where we are going. When we remember our history, that is where God has prevailed in our lives, and where we are going, that is those things that God has promised us; I think it becomes easier to stay passionate in the different areas of our lives. Most of these reminders come from those friends around us, but ultimately the responsibility falls on ourselves. We can ultimately choose to shut ourselves off to our passions and the good things the Lord is trying to do in our lives, or we can choose to embrace them and continue to grow and become more like Jesus.

Changing God's Mind

2008-05-14T00:19:00.005-07:00

I was reading some more from Dallas Willard's - Divine Conspiracy today and I came upon a sweet revelation regarding prayer. It has to do with changing God's mind. We know that if we pray things happen, God moves. It's apparent in our lives, we can see the effects of our prayer around us. But it seems that people have this idea of God as an immovable unchanging being, even though he hears our prayers he was already going to change whatever it was we were praying about. If this is true, then we may as well have not prayed in the first place. It's like an allowance, if we know we are going to get an allowance for the weekend every week as children, do we need to go and ask for it? We know we will get it whether we ask or not, so the act of asking carries no weight, it has no value. Prayer certainly isn't anything like this.

Before I continue we must agree that the prayer I'm referring to is a request made to God, and we must accept that God does not necessarily say yes to all of these prayers, and likewise he doesn't say no to them all. So in prayer there is a conditional aspect. God holds that he may or may not grant the request. Basically, God chooses, not like the parents who give their children an allowance every week whether or not they ask for it. But we can actually change God's plans through our prayers. Check out some of these verses:

Exodus 32:9-14

And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! 10 Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation." 11 Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: "LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, "He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, "I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever."' 14 So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.

It says 'the Lord relented,' it's saying God eased up on the Israelites, He didn't go through what He had told Moses He was going to do. Why? because of what Moses had prayed. There are other verses much like this in the Old Testament that show how God's mind was changed. I remember when Abraham talked with the Lord about saving Sodom and Gomorrah. He reasoned with God about burning the cities down, saying if you find this many Righteous then please save the city.

When I read these stories I can only think that if I don't pray for something then it isn't going to happen. I've heard people say that someone else will do it, or it's already in God's will that such and such a thing will happen. But now I'm more convinced than ever that we just use these as excuses to not get down and pray for things. We don't want to take the effort and pray, but if we are actually changing God's mind maybe we will see our prayers as more important than we did before, and more impacting than we may have thought them to be in the past.

Home

2008-05-12T22:27:00.007-07:00

a place of memories I
cherish -- still embellish
for all time -- they shine
with smiles and rooms
of laughter -- hiding
closets full of giggles --
squiggles of joy painted
on the walls -- of halls
that lead -- where your
heart is freed -- to be
what God has made --
a Serenade.

The Beginning of an Adventure

2008-05-06T01:13:00.000-07:00

Grislo stood above the bleak plain, his eyes darting to and fro. His mind analyzed every tree, shrub, stone, and even the golden blades of grass. The landscape was familiar, he had known it as a boy, and it was here he had called home most of his years. His heart had sunk when he heard the news of the Torrin marching for his boyish home, and Grislo had no hesitation in coming.

Sweat dripped down the regal arlan's brow as he motioned for his companion to come closer. "They will come over that ridge, and sweep into the plain here." Grislo waved his fur covered arm toward the northern slopes, then westward where the plains made way for a wandering stream. "We will make our first stand there, under the cover of the trees, and beyond the first bend of the stream. It should give the people enough time to move into the hills."

The arlan resumed his statuesque form, deep in thought of the coming army, wondering what it meant for those under his command. "It is surely the calm before the storm" Grislo thought to himself as he watched the red sun dip below the hillside.

To Play a Role

2008-05-05T23:53:00.001-07:00

I can genuinely say that I am an avid gamer. And while many of you may shun me for saying such a thing, I would like to open up a little bit of an insight into why I think Video Games and other interactive forms of entertainment do so well. I've taken classes on game design and similar but scrapping the usual technical references on why people play games for different goals I'd rather look at more of a broad topic.

I think every person has an innate desire to create an Adventure for themselves, or to be caught up into some sort of an Adventure. Why else would listening to stories, or engaging in them be such a big thing in America? People want to engage themselves in something other than the daily grind of life. They want to explore an imagination, and a new reality. Now some of you may think that any escape from reality is horrible, it's just a replacement, a fake, and an escape from the responsibilities we have here. Maybe that's part of it, maybe they can be used as an escape, but God wouldn't create imagination, or give us creativity if he knew we would only use it like this.

I believe that when we explore the creative imagination of people, worlds they create in their mind and write down for us, or gaming worlds that have been made, we are coming close to things that people hold dear to their hearts. And yes, some of these imaginative works can be quite disturbing, but so are some of the things that people do in life. I'm beginning to see the imaginative works as a release and an invitation to begin an adventure. I'm beginning to recognize it as another tool to be close with God. Jesus used parables, he used his imagination to think up stories that weren't real, situations that could happen, but weren't specific to get his points across. I can't tell you how many times God has given me revelations when exploring peoples imaginative content, whether it's a video game, a story, a movie, or anything else that attempts to enrapture our attention. These things are not inherently evil, it really comes down to what we do with them.

Untitled

2008-05-05T01:01:00.001-07:00

ignored-- Listen closely and
you will hear the pulse--
within my Heart

unspoken -- Understood still
no words are needed--
you see what I hold Dear

abashed -- Enthralled to
let this desire become--
more than you or I

- NM

Values

2008-05-03T02:47:00.002-07:00

Right now is a fruitful time in my life, I think the first thing that made me notice this was a word that Marc spoke over me. It's always encouraging to have brothers and sisters in Christ that push you to new places in the Lord. But enough about that, the biggest thing I'm understanding right now is the value of those around me, and those I interact with. That's not to say that I don't value people already, but I feel a push in the spirit to pay special attention to my relationships. It's like a focus, a honing of skill. I feel as if I'm being pushed into a phase of my life where I focus on the relational aspects of community building. In the past I've been more of an administrator type, someone more behind the scenes, making sure things go nicely, but there is a definitely a push to be more up front, and digging more into peoples lives. How can you hope to bless someone if you don't take time out of your schedule to labor for them in prayer? This is one of the many questions I have asked myself, and challenged others with. Surely you can bless someone without that labor, but will it be as good? Will it be exactly what the Lord wanted? I want to meet a need in someones life exactly as the Lord wants it done, why then would I try and do it without any preparation, without any supplication or consideration of what God is doing?
As I move into this relational aspect of community I find that it requires firstly being intensely relational with God, it requires intimacy with him. If I am to operate effectively in other people's lives I must know who I am in the Lord, and I must KNOW Him. The only question that remains is one of willingness. Am I willing to spend that time to bless others?

Situational

2008-01-28T14:20:00.000-08:00

I was talking to some co-workers of mine, and I noticed that a lot of them use phrases such as 'I can't wait till I get off' or 'I'm so glad I don't have to work tomorrow.' And it occurred to me that this kind of attitude is contrary to what we are called to be as people of Christ. Not that it's bad to look forward to getting off of work, or look forward to having a day off, but I find that these people are rather letting their current situation affect their mood. They are irritable or slightly angry while working, they do things with a sigh, or a grunt of indifference because they let the mere fact that they are 'at work' get under their skin. They would rather be doing something of their own choice rather than working for someone else. Many of you might say that this is completely normal, of course these guys don't want to work for someone else all day and then go home.

What I'm getting at is that as people of Christ we are called to not let the current situations at hand affect our disposition. Why? Because we have something better to look forward to. Why would we get irritated at work or when doing our job? Or when we don't get that extra day off? If we have our focus in Christ these things don't matter since our security, and our happiness is not derived from our situation. If we let our situation determine whether we can be joyous or not, well we might as well never have joy. True happiness comes out of Christ, not from what is going on with us at any given point in our lives. This opens up broad realities for those of us who trust in God. That means that we don't need to get irritated with work, it means we can take joy when we don't get that extra day off we thought we might have, and it means we can have communion and rest with God no matter what is going on around us, and no matter how busy or hectic our days might be.

A Parable

2008-01-17T11:27:00.000-08:00

Jesus used parables, or short stories to relate to people what the Kingdom was like. I've been thinking about this for some time, since we seem to be obsessed with knowing, but not changing our hearts, and I have been wondering about how to give people teaching that pushes them into a place where they desire to change, and do change. So I decided to try and make a parable, or short story that we today might be able to relate to. If Jesus were here preaching on the streets with crowds following him I think he might tell a story like this.

The Kingdom of God is like a store. Now the manager of the store was good and hired two people to work for him. Each day the manager gave the employees a list of what needed to be done. Now the first employee did everything begrudgingly, he didn't care how well it was done, and he only looked to do exactly what was written on the sheet, even when he ran out of things to do during the day. The second employee did everything on the list, even if it meant he had to stay late some days. He did the tasks with the best of his ability, and even looked around the store for other things that needed to be done. The second employee even took personal care of the store making sure that everything was in order at the end of each day. One day the manager came around to check on his employees. To the first employee he said, "You don't seem to care for this store, and what it's about." and with sadness he fired the employee. But to the second employee he said, "You care much for the things that I care about, great is your reward."

I think the underlying theme of the story is quite easy to pickup. It's about our heart, and what God is looking for in each of us. The first employee didn't care about the things that the good manager, or God cared about. He was only at the job to get paid so he could go home. This is also a lot like living by law. You can fulfill the duties required of you, and breeze by, but in alll reality we can't do that with God. He wants more than our actions, he wants our hearts. Now the second employee understood this, but it was deeper. Even though he did everything the manager asked of him, he did it not because it was a law, he did it out of the goodness of his heart. The law was only a guideline for him it reminded him of what needed to be done in the store each day, but he knew there was always more that could be done, and as needed he did more because of where his heart was.

Surpassing the Pharisees

2007-12-22T09:12:00.000-08:00

Today I felt quite prompted to post, an urgency to do it, so I hope that these words may touch you in some way. I'm going to continue kind of where I left of with the Beatitudes. The next thing that Jesus dives into after he finishes giving us a picture of how we are blessed when we enter his presence, is how we are to live in comparison to the Scribes and Pharisees. Jesus begins by giving us old established laws about what is okay to do in a certain situation and then giving an application of what behaviour comes forth out of the blessed individual, or one who is walking in the kingdom. He tells us that we are to not hate, for if we do it is just as if we have murdered, he tells us to not lust in our hearts for it is as if we have already done it, and there are other examples here too of what we are to do as people of the kingdom. What usually happens when I hear a message about these verses is they are generally turned into laws, much like the old laws of the pharisees these knew teachings that Jesus gives us turns into a list of dos and don'ts. If Jesus were simply giving us a new set of rules to live by he would have added more red tape, he would have said more. The issue that Jesus is talking about is never doing good things. Rather his focus is on a changing of our hearts. We ought not to harbor hatred, because if we do have hatred it's a sign that we aren't actually living in the kingdom. We ought not to ogle the guy or girl walking down the street because it's a sign that we don't actually understand how to love a person. We ought to turn the other cheek, when we do it fosters love rather than anger. We ought not to divorce, because there is almost always room for reconciliation. What Jesus is teaching is not a list of rules, but rather that which flows from the kingdom lifestyle. When we begin to understand that Jesus is speaking about heart issues here we will begin to understand that he is talking about how to love people. Will there be a time when we should not turn the other cheek? Certainly! If we are needed to aide someone else we would not stand idly by and let an attacker continue! Is there a time and place for divorce? Certainly there is a situation where someone is being abused so badly the only natural good thing for them is to get out. I rather find that the examples listed in Matthew are guidelines on what comes out of a kingdom lifestyle. If I'm filled with love, how can I hate my enemy? If I'm filled with love, is there room for anger or contempt? If I'm filled with love how can I objectify someone with my eyes? So I find that Jesus is trying to push me into a place where I have a change of heart, rather than continue to try living up to a standard.

I was sharing this with a good friend of mine, and he had a cool revelation about equality. I previously gave a list of the beatitudes and described a bit about how these types of people were blessed in the kingdom, and added that the rejected people, the downtrodden are the ones that are blessed. And then he mentioned that no matter where we go, and who we talk to in the churches we attend, it will always be the rejected, the least of those who God speaks to, and with power. It's something we have experienced in our own church, we are not perfect and there have been times that people have been rejected, and as I look back I can see that God has worked through these people amazingly. And the call goes out to those in the church that we need to begin to see everyone, no matter who they are as an equal. It goes along with not thinking more highly than ourselves than we ought to. It goes along with loving your neighbor as you love yourself. We need to move past trodding on other people to gain some acceptance, it destroys other peoples lives, and doesn't show love. I think these might be something that falls in with what I wrote about today. It's about a heart change toward these people. Even if our first inclination is to ridicule them, we need to ask ourselves where that habit comes from? Certainly it doesn't come from the spirit!

Confession

2007-12-15T08:47:00.001-08:00

I think I might have posted something about this a while back, but I'm going to restate it again. We don't really understand what true confession is, at least in the religious sense of the word. I think a better word is probably profess. Jesus likes to use what is translated as 'confess' a lot. He says that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord we will be saved. And the word confession certainly can fit here, but I think to help us along our line of thought we will use the word profess instead. We have this idea that confession is something we unwillingly do, it's forced upon us because of something bad that we've done. But that mindset comes directly out of the Law. And we as Christians know that we are dead to the law, it has no hold on us any longer, so why are we still under this mindset that we must confess every little thing when we can't transgress what we are dead to. It makes no sense! Anyhow, on to what I wanted to talk about.

In James 5 there is a verse that people often use out of context, saying that we are to "confess our sins one to another that we may be healed." And while I was reading it this morning it donned on me that this verse is not talking about sin at all, whatsoever. If we read James 5 in context he is talking about healing the sick here. and the verse previous gives us a little light into what's going on:

Jas 5:13 -17
Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him. Confess therefore your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working. Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months.

Now the word in verse 16 that is often translated as sins is not the same greek word that is translated as sin everywhere else in the bible, in fact the original king james translates it as Faults.. and I looked the word up and it often has to do with unintentional wrongs, Now if we read this verse with that in mind I get a whole different picture. What I see going on is James building this idea of us professing, or telling each other what is wrong in our bodies, right before he says to confess, he is telling us that we should come before the eldars if we need healing Then he moves into telling each other of our mishaps, things that are wrong in our lives, things that shouldn't be there, places where the devil is having a stronghold. This is much broader than sin, while I think that it includes sin, I think the scope is much larger here. I think it includes sickness, disease, problems with the family, social issues, anything that is not supposed to be present in the kingdom! We have simplified the power of this message. We get focused on the sin issue, when in all reality James is directly telling us that we need to profess, come before one another unashamed, and let each other know what is going on that we may be healed; Of Sickness, of disease, of social problems, of strongholds in our lives! Why else would he give an example of effective prayer if he was merely talking about sin? No, James' scope must be much larger than simply dealing with sin.

Another Year

2007-12-12T10:03:00.000-08:00

This year seems to have been an odd one, I almost entirely gave up posting. Looking back, on average I have only posted twice a month, although I'm sure by the end of December it will hit 3 times a month seeing how much I am posting recently. I begin to recount the different things that have happened in my life, I've lived in three different places, gone through 3 jobs, on top of not working for three months. I've met new people, different people, fun people. Lost friendships, gained friendships. Grown away from people and grown closer to others. And yet I look back and can see God leading me through it all, pushing me slowly past obstacles and into a new start for my life. I stand ready for the next part of my life to start, in fact I feel as this last year has been me throwing off a lot of weight, and really beginning to understand stability and a bit more about independence.

Teaching Style

2007-12-10T00:59:00.000-08:00

With this idea of the Beattitudes I was also presented with an issue that I have been throwing around in my mind for a while. See I enjoy teaching, I love helping people get past obstacles or blocks in their mind. I love enabling people and showing people new things, it is very much a part of who I am. Now the issue I have been considering is this: How do I teach someone so they will remember?

It's quite a simple thing, but if you are a church-goer, honestly ask yourself how many sermons you remember from the last year. I can't really remember any of them specifically, and I've been in churches for all of my life. This has to reflect something of the nature of Preaching. If we can't remember it, how can it change our life? When I read through the Gospels and see Jesus preaching to the people he taught with pictures and examples things that the people could directly relate with, things that completely blew peoples perspectives out of the water. He met people where they were at.

The people didn't sit down and pull out paper and then write down everything Jesus taught, instead they listened carefully and took in what he was saying. It is my desire to teach much like this.

In today's society we think that teaching someone is just piling information on them and then making sure they can tell it back to us. But I find this to be rather lacking. The whole system is designed to dump information on a student. But really, what good does information do if you don't do anything with it? What good is information if there is no change in the persons life? This is where I begin to have a hard time with simply giving more information.

The student is expected to become a vessel whereby they simply absorb or hold all the information the teacher is giving. But when I see Jesus and the way he teaches, he sends the disciples out with very little information. In fact he only tells them a few basic truths and then lets them loose on the world. Is there such a thing as too much information? I think there might be, I think there may be a period where we are paralyzed because we feel we 'don't know enough' when we should just step out and learn it.

So my thoughts are probably a bit scattered, but I really feel like there is a step in teaching people that hasn't been taken and I want to unlock it.

The Beattitudes

2007-12-07T06:39:00.000-08:00

So I was reading some more of The Divine Conspiracy last night and I crossed this idea of the Beattitudes and I really love the insights that Dallas Willard gives so here is the idea I think he is trying to push.

Matthew 5:2-12

And opening His mouth, He taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit! For theirs is the kingdom of the Heavens. Blessed are the ones mourning! For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek! For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness! For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful! For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart! For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers! For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are they who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake! For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when they shall reproach you, and persecute you, and shall say every evil word against you, lying, on account of Me. Rejoice and leap for joy, for your reward is great in Heaven; for in this way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Alright so here we have what is often referred to as the Beattitudes. Many times I have heard, and possibly even taught myself that the verses in Matthew are referring to qualities that we need to exhibit. They have in a sense become things we strive for. I've heard preachers say poor in spirit means knowing that you need God, and need to put God as the center of your life. I've heard preaching that says we need to be mourners, looking back at our past sins and ready to repent then we will be blessed. I've heard it preached that we need to be pure morally before God, that if we only follow the things he has told us to do we will be blessed, and with the purity thing they add on a whole nice list of things we shouldn't do or imply that maybe drinking or hanging out in a bar isn't something you should be doing. I can continue down the list of what I've heard, and it's not necessarily bad advise, but it doesn't convey the true meaning of what Jesus was trying to preach, nor does it have the power either!

I say this because in the evangelical mindset I've been raised in the beattitudes have become a set of things I should be living up to. But it waters down the gospel so much. Think of it, all you have to do to be blessed is mourn for your sins, or wrongdoings! Wait? That doesn't sound like God's heart. All you have to do to be blessed by God is be meek, hold your power in restraint, don't be a tyrant! Hmm that's good, but aren't there plenty of meek people who God doesn't look at with favor? And one of the most troubling ones is when I hear preachers tell me to be poor in spirit to inherit the Kingdom of God. Didn't Jesus say that if he casts out a demon or heals someone "Has not the Kingdom of God come upon you?" Didn't he say the Kingdom of God was at hand? So how can we sit back and say that Jesus is talking about an action we must take to become blessed? The whole point here is that Jesus is not talking about doing things to become blessed! He's not trying to give you a new set of rules you need to follow to be favoured by God. He is trying to define what happens when the Kingdom is active! He is breaking the mold of what people in that day would think!

Let's hop over to one of my favourite parables for a moment, the one about the rich young ruler. He asked Jesus what he must do. To inherit eternal life. We often come to God asking the same question, what must I do Lord? I just want entrance into your kingdom, what's the very least I need to do? And most Jesus takes this opportunity to shatter the mold. First he responds with a question, "Have you kept the commandments?" And his general answer is "Why yes I have! I've done them as best as I can!" And Jesus doesn't deny it, in fact I have no reason to believe that the man did not love God, and that he was in fact telling the truth about following the commandments. But Jesus smashes everyone's idea to bits! He tells the rich ruler to sell everything and take up his cross. And the rich man went away sad, because he had much wealth. Now much like the beattitudes Jesus isn't telling us readers today that if we just give our wealth away we will be blessed and inherit eternal life, that's not the issue! The issue wasn't the money the rich man had in the first place, the issue that Jesus was dealing with was the man's heart. He went away sad because Jesus was asking the man to give up his heart to God, and he couldn't do it. It's interesting that the Jews then wondered who could gain eternal life, but if you look at it from their perspective it gives some really good insights. Jesus stated at the man's departure that it was harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. The Jews wondered in amazement saying, 'Who then can enter?' And I've found we simply brush this last little bit off. We don't give it much thought. But there is a treasure here. The jews in that time believed that the rich people, the rulers, the aristocrats, and those who were 'above' in a sense were all blessed by God because God controlled the wealth. So if God's blessed had that hard of a time entering the kingdom then surely it was impossible for the normal people. Jesus is attempting to break the way people think. He is setting a new standard; it is indeed impossible for a man to gain eternal life! The only way is through Christ, the only way is with God's help.

Jesus is continually trying to break the jews established mindsets of how they think God's kingdom works. So when we take this principle to the beattitudes we can see clearly that Jesus is not trying to state ways for us to be blessed, or to inherit life. Rather Jesus is stating facts. He is saying Blessed is the depressed man, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Why will the depressed, the man with no spirit be recieving the kingdom? Because of his proximity with Christ. The beattitudes are not something we ascribe to be like, they are a declaration of the power Jesus holds, and what happens when our hearts are in line with his. Just like the rich man, Jesus is concerned with our hearts more than what we do.

God Conscience

2007-12-02T09:55:00.000-08:00

My buddy Marc started saying this phrase a while ago, and he keeps repeating it. He asks me, "so are you 'God Conscience' right now?" I have taken a liking to this question, not only has it spurred me on in my relationship with the Lord, but it has also brought me to a place where I actively seek the Lord's presence during the day. Maybe I'm beginning to notice the growth I've had in the last few months just now, but I like this idea of being God Conscience too much to just let it go.

So, what is being 'God Conscience'? It's quite simple really. It's being aware that God is involved in what you are doing here and now. That he is active and participating through you and about you. It's simply being conscience of God's desires. One of the reasons why this idea came up is because we realized that we are always in the spirit. 1 John gives us a pretty good picture of who we are. It pretty much tells us that we are in the spirit and the light is in us if we love our brother, and some other things get mixed in there too. Essentially we see that there is no flip flopping. There is no in the spirit one minute and not in the spirit the next. Jesus said it plainly. We are born again, of Spirit and Fire. If we are born again and a new creation then we can not cease being that new creation. We are born of the spirit so we must be in the spirit, we must be what we are, whether we realise it or not. But this brings up an issue, why if we are always in the spirit do we still do things contrary to God's will? and I think the answer is right here. Because we are not God Conscience. For whatever reason, we lose our focus.

Focus, I think I've talked about it before. But in today's society we have many many things grabbing for our attention. TV, Media, Video Games, Movies, billboards, music, ads, and many things that I haven't listed. They all try to get our attention, and they all attempt to tell us something different, often opposed to God's goodness, and it's no wonder we turn our focus onto something else. Now I have to be careful hear, because I don't want to make it a law that I must be God Conscience all day, rather I seek to be conscience of God because I know he has the best for me, it's not something I make Law, rather it's something I seek out of Joy and the wellbeing of those around me. I know that when I'm conscience of God, other people are blessed and that makes me happy.

A good friend

2007-11-28T07:45:00.000-08:00

Over the last month or so I've had the opportunity to discuss pretty much anything that comes to mind with a friend of mine. I work nights right now so by the time I get home it's rolling around to sometime after 7 AM and my friend is getting up and doing some things around the house. Often we will sit down and have a good chat for about an hour during the day. I can say that the times I've had with him have been quite enjoyable.

It's beginning to open my eyes up to a completely new lifestyle, while I don't get up early like he does but rather stay up late I still get a glimpse into what I think is how a real community is formed. Before our days begin or come to a close in my eyes I have the opportunity to discuss what's going on in the church, where we see God moving, how we might deal with things, and also where we see God moving amidst our days. We offer each other encouragement and remind each other of the things that God desires for us in our lives. It's a refreshing time that I have come to love, and I wonder how many other people have experienced something similar to this.

Like I said I feel as if I am gaining a real sense of what community is, I don't do it because I feel obligated to, I stay up each morning so I can enjoy the person God has made him, I listen to his words and feelings on different things because I truly want to hear what God is doing with him. And this is where I believe community is nestled deep down. When we as people come together to simply share with others, not necessarily do an activity but simply live together we form a union with each other. And it's something beautiful.

A while back I heard a preacher say something to the effect of "Find people who love God, and grow old with them." and that's exactly what I see happening here. Even if aging is slow, I've found someone who genuinely loves God and I desire to spend time with them, to hear about their day and the things they face during the day. I can't help but realize that it is in this setting that people mature in God, it's in these times that the older people rub off what God has taught them onto the younger ones. It's in these times that real men and women of God are refined.

I guess it leads me back to a previous thought about schooling. It's my belief that pastors, prophets, teachers and evangelists are not made in a school, but rather they are nurtured and brought up in these types of communities. Where the younger learns from the older. When the younger and older come together and just share their lives with each other. Times where they discuss what works and what doesn't work. And times where they seek God together. That's church. That's what God intended church to be, and it is beautiful.

If you haven't experienced anything like this before, I hope you can, because it's beautiful to see God's Bride when she is shining her best.

Setbacks

2007-11-27T10:59:00.000-08:00

Over the last couple months I've been observing people, well, actually I have been doing that my whole life. But there has been something that has been sticking out like a sore thumb over the last few months that I've begun to notice. It's apparent in christians, and in non-christians alike. It's something that seems to grip us with inaction. What I've been observing are the different things that paralyze people. The different ways people battle with themselves to overcome, and I'm left in awe at how simple some of these seem. I'm not meaning to bash people, because I probably have my share of faults, but when I look out among others I am gripped with feelings of sorrow for others.
I see people who, because of lack of motivation can't keep a job, or really do anything with their life at all. I see people who, while at work don't really care. They wander around like they are in another world lacking focus and direction. Even when they are given a task to do, they simply nod and begin to do it, only to turn to the side a moment later when something else catches their eye. I see people who are gripped with fear in beginning anything, they are so worried about what others will think of them, or just simply failing that they will not step out and give it a shot. I see people who are always worrying about whether or not they will be okay. They are taken hold by an unseen force that puts them in a depression, one that says they will never live up, or be good enough for anything. They even say it to me themselves!

I am left to wonder what the root of these problems is. Maybe it was because a father never showed how to work hard, or never told their son he was strong. I'm not sure, but I know that these things are not simply overcome. For the man who lacks motivation I would say simply do, get up and do. For the man who worries I would say, stop. Simply stop thinking like that. But for them it's not so easy, and I'm left wondering why they must continue putting themselves in these places, even when they have been told it's not good for themselves.

I was talking with a good friend of mine about common sense, and in my mind it has become not so commoon. For me it would be common sense to motivate myself to do something that needed to be done. It's a necessity, I better have it taken care of. In my mind this is solid, tangible, now relying on others isn't necessarily a bad thing, but there is give and take when you rely on others. If you are simply taking there is no responsibility, and common sense would tell me that I must work. In the same way if I was presented with thoughts of inadequacy or worry about what is happening in my life I can simply throw it to the wind. For common sense clearly shows me that I am fine, and that God is providing for me, there is nothing to worry about.

I am left wanting, desiring a reconciliation for those I see. I notice that in their hearts they truly desire to do good, but somehow they end up not overcoming.

Anyhow, that's all for now.

Saved!

2007-09-29T15:25:00.000-07:00

I was listening to someone talk about getting people "saved" this afternoon, and while I am a bit out of my mind from lack of sleep, which in all reality should make this post more interesting, I think I am coming up on something quite deep and important to Christian faith.

As I stated we use the term "Saved" to mean some abstract concept in the Christian realm that I'm not quite sure we even know what we mean when we say it. We talk about 'saving' people and how we were 'saved' but I'm not sure that we know what from? I mean have you ever wondered what we are being saved from? Is it ourselves? Maybe it's sin? But I'm not satisfied with these answers.

I believe when we say that we want to get someone saved, or that we have been saved is we are suggesting that God has dealt with our sin. And we leave the issue at that. But I find a serious lack of intimacy with God here. The idea that Christianity is all about getting saved strips Christianity of it's greatest parts. It neuters the gospel message and suggests that God isn't actually nearby, but rather has dealt with our sin and then vanished in a puff. It doesn't require anything on our part except that we say we believe in God, and I simply can not take this idea of being saved. We need to break out of this idea about saying some sentence in our hearts and gaining entrance into some kingdom that comes when we die.

Being saved on the contrary is all about living in God's care NOW. It's all about being in an intimate relationship with God NOW. In fact saved is such a limited word that when I begin to speak about the relationship I have with God and what he has done in my life it becomes completely inadequate. I need to begin using different language such as, born again, or transformed. I have been changed from a being of darkness, into a being of light.

We have this conception that God is concerned firstly about our sin, that it prevents him from doing things in our lives and that God will not deal with us until we get rid of this sin issue. But when I look at Jesus and I read some of of Paul's letters I am hit with statements like, "While we were still sinners." demonstrating God's love for us. I find that God is firstly concerned about having a relationship with me, and about me being in unity with him, sin is only a side issue that is dealt with so that I may enter into this.

Repentance

2007-09-27T09:12:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my previous post I have just been reading through a book called "The Secret Message of Jesus" and it occured to me that there is a very large connection between the two ideas of Repentance and being 'Born Again' Now normally you might say well of course! To be born again you need to repent. But even though there is the simple answer I feel like we undervalue what it really means to repent, and often times we construe what repentance is and make it into some sort of ritual.

Jesus states in the gospel of John:

"I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God."

Now I believe that this interconnection between Repentance and being born again happens right here when Jesus is discussing the topic with Nicodemus. I think when Jesus is stating be Born again, he is actually telling Nicodemus to repent. He is telling Nicodemus that it is time to throw away your old view on how the Kingdom of God is going to come about, and accept the view that God has given me. He telling Nicodemus that he needs to change his mind, to be born again in the mind of the spirit before he can begin to understand and work in this new way of life. In fact he's not just telling this to Nicodemus he is inviting him into a new way of life.

I think that when we begin to grasp this concept of Repentance, we will find that repentance is exactly what Jesus says, to be born again. So true repentance in our lives is when we begin to be born of the spirit. And I think we all know what that looks like.

When we try to call repentance getting down on our knees and saying we are sorry for our sins we water down the Kingdom message, that's not what true repentance is. True repentance is being Born of the Spirit, it's changing our mind about something and aligning it with God's.

The Dream Of God

2007-09-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

I've been reading a lot this last week, I read through a book by Brian McLaren, called The Secret Message of Jesus. Now at first glance this might seem like an odd title for a book. We often think we have completely figured out what Jesus message was. We say oh it is contained quite easily in Paul's letters, that Jesus came for the forgiveness of sins. And we are not wrong when we say this. But this book suggests that this is not the actual message of Jesus. It is a result of what Jesus' message said. So when we look into what Jesus said in the Gospels we find him using language such as "The Kingdom of God is at Hand." and this is the weight of Jesus' message, that God is here and now, active and working to have a personal relationship with every preson. God's kingdom is present, and it is working. Jesus' message was to destromate this present kingdom idea to all who came to him.

And here we sit some two thousand years later. And how does the idea of a Kingdom sound today? Well it seems that it has lost a lot of it's meanings. In Jesus' time a Kingdom may have represented something a bit different. You see when we think of a Kingdom and a King we think that the King is some far off high up pereson, that he doesn't have much contact with his subjects and that he has so much power that he can have everyone do his every need. When we think of a Kingdom like this we lose a lot of the meaning behind what Jesus was saying. So I find that the language I see in the bible may not be the most effective language I can use to convey the same things that Jesus was stating when he said "The Kingdom of God is at hand."

When Jesus stated this he didn't mean some far off Tyranical ruler. He meant a loving caring King, who was deeply involveds in the Kingdoms workings. A King who knew his subjects, individually and cared for them with his power. But we lose a lot of this with our democratic mindsets. We think that Monarchies are old news, limited ideas that failed. So why don't we adopt knew language to fit today?

In this book one idea as an alternative struck me as genius. Instead of stating the Kingdom of GOd is at Hand, we might be able to invoke the same message that Jesus desired through the words, "The Dream of God is coming." This gives me a sense of involvement, if someone suggests that God has dreams for my life it makes me interested, it draws me in. It makes me wonder what these dreams are, and if they are dreams.. Aren't dreams always better than what reality is? And they are near and coming.. Wow! Not only is God dreaming about me, but he's also beginning to fulfill these dreams in my very life.

If we look back at some historical figures we find that this isn't a new idea at all. Do you remember Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a Dream speach"? That is much the same thing that I am talking about here. When MLKJ said he had a dream about many different things he was relaying God's dream for people, and the rising up out of oppression. MLKJ was preaching God's Dream to the people, and look what happened!

I think we sometimes get stuck in a bible scholar type mindset and we forget to look at things simply, and plainly. We forget that God is right here and right now, interested in our lives and he desires to do big things with us. So it's good to take some time and just ponder what God is dreaming into your life.

- God Bless!

The Need to Give

2007-09-04T00:54:00.000-07:00

Maybe this is just a misconception I have, but since it's something I see then I think it has some validity to it. That is, when I enter a church I find that almost always the emphasis is put on people's spiritual needs, how they need to be right with God, ways that they can know Jesus. Maybe you see it too. Now this isn't completely isolated, I've seen it at our home church, I've seen it at almost every church I've been too. You may ask me, "So? Aren't these good things?" And I might reply, well they aren't inherently good or evil, they are actions that attempt to get someone to see where they are in Christ. But maybe we are missing something that Jesus preached, and if we are, then obviously the Spirit would want us to go there.

So what are we missing? Honestly I think we've forgotten how to give to the person next to us. I think, in our abundance, we see other people in their abundance and think we don't need to give, or help. It goes further than that, isn't the church supposed to be the place people come to when they are hungry, when they are without clothes, and when they have no place to sleep? Now these are the basics, yes, but this is where it starts. How many churches, that own buildings or spaces, actually use the building for things other than classes during the week? Startlingly I've only been to a few, and I've heard of not too many that do this. And the ones I have are specifically based around doing it, such as churches that are help in a coffee shop, or bar, or in the meeting hall of a Motel. What I'm suggesting is something that starts in the heart and builds. Instead of offering Religion to the world, why don't we start meeting needs, not in Mexico, right here on your front door. (Not that God doesn't call people to Mexico..I'm just saying)

I think this keeps boiling down to the same basic issue, people don't need to be preached at every sunday. What they need is a family that loves each other. What happens when love becomes the focus in something? It grows, people want to be a part of it. Now that is the real church, the Bride of Christ. I always liked the saying, "Christ died so we can have meetings and meetings more abundantly!" right? hmm... No way! He came that we may have LIFE! Where is life found? In the presence of Love. Love is what creates life. God loved himself, the trinity so much, that he wanted to create humans so that they could share in it. A married couple mirrors God in this that they love each other so much they want to create a Child to share in it. So honestly I think we just need to love more.

I think we try to fool ourselves sometimes. I mean I'd like to explore the question, "Why do you go to 'church'?" Now I put it in quotes because in all reality church is not a place we go, it doesn't start or stop. It was established over 2000 years ago and is still growing strong. It's a body, a group of people, who are slaves to Christ. But putting that aside and bringing up the question once more, Why do we go to a building on Sunday morning? Is it because we want to see our friends? Is it because we want to hear a motivational message? Is it to experience some good music?

I think what I'm getting at is not that going to a place on Sunday morning is bad or wrong, but rather we put ourselves in a mindset to where that's all we expect from Christianity. We think that since that's what we've always known, that God doesn't really have a more fruitful way of teaching us things, or a more fruitful way of fellowshipping with the Spirit. I think we cripple our walk with God when we think that Sundays are the pinnacle of our week.

It's like this: What's the most intimate thing you can think of? I don't know about you, but the first thing that comes to my mind is sex and being naked before someone. Now Worship is supposed to be intimate, one translation of Worship is to Kiss, or to draw close, to come near. Now if worship is intended to be something quite intimate, and I assure it is. How is it that we can live 6 days without it and then expect it to be awesome on the seventh. I'm not saying that's how we all live, or that is how any of you who read this are living. I mean, how many of you would have sex in front of everyone you knew, let alone someone you didn't? So in all reality how can we have our most intimate moments with God on Sundays when everyone is gathered there with us.

I think we cripple ourselves when we expect a preacher to feed us. Honestly, like I said above, your most intimate moments with God should be happening the other 6 days of the week, the one where you get together with everyone else should be the time you share those stories or revelations that the Lord gives you with them. We tend to get stuck in the mindset that because there is a preacher, and he is giving the message, that we don't actually need to study anything out for ourselves, or we get lazy and don't do it anyway. Or maybe it's not even studying, maybe we just don't pray very much, until something goes completely wrong, at least in our eyes. Now this ties in to what I was talking about earlier. If we take the time during the week, and seek God out, then we will have things to share with everyone else. That's what giving love is. Honestly I say all these things because I'm sick of seeing Christians who are crippled by what they did the night before. Because there is so little love in the church that they would feel condemned to come and share in Christ. I'm sick of how Satan steals what our rights in Christ are.

It really bugs me that we have decided in our churches to come up with the management model and that is the model we’re using to govern most of our churches. So we got to have a strategic plans. We’ve got to have a missions statement. We’ve got to have little forms to fill out to put down what we are doing. Give me a break! The church is not IBM!… Who in the Hell came up with that idea?!
—Mike Yaconelli, cofounder of Youth Specialties

People Reading

2007-09-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

People reading. I know it sounds quite odd at first, but I think it's one of those odd things we do all the time. What I'm getting at is we have the ability to call out other peoples strengths. We have the ability to show people what they are good at. Not necessarily in the physical skills sense, but more along the lines of Godly Character. It's a sobering thing when someone tells you, that you are a great friend, even when you feel you haven't done that much for the person. I think we have a tendency as Children of God to rob ourselves of what we truly are. And so I must concede that we need other people to tell us who we are, and not just other people but also God.

While I posed the question, "Who is God to You?" in my previous post, I think the next question that follows and ties quite nicely with what I'm talking about is: "Who does God say you are?" Now personally I think this question is actually quite a bit more important than the other one I posted previously, even if I might have said otherwise. And I say that because if you don't understand or know who God says you are, or are accepting something other than truth for that question, your life becomes a big pile of crap. I'm serious when I say that, because living without knowing who you are is probably the easiest way to let the devil ruin you, or mess you up good.

As I sit here and think about the question I'm reminded of something I posted a long time ago, I think it was something along the lines of this: "The single greatest lie Satan ever told you was: Life is all about me." Now I ponder this, because if we accept that lie then we will live a very distinct life all based around, You guessed it; ME! But I find that the lies satan gives are actually quite close to truth, for Satan only takes truth and distorts it, or changes it slightly. God is sitting back telling us: "You are worth everything."

Woah, hold on, did I just say that? Yes, yes I did. "You are worth everything." Sit on it for a minute... When God gave his only Son that you should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16), that was everything. God gave it. He loves so much he declared you worthy, while you were still in sin. Isn't that what it talks about? How while we were still sinners Christ died for us? Absolutely!! So I find in Scripture that God has declared that I am invaluable. And now that I can see the truth that God has given, I can see how Satan has twisted it with worldly logic. If someone has given me such a great value, then obviously I should be the center of all attention. See where the twist comes in? God declared that I was worth all his attention, and gives me his attention. And Satan twists it into a demand, a right, saying that I have some inherent value that makes everything about me. On the contrary Life is all about God, because without him I would never have been declared worthy.

Does any of that make sense? I sure hope it does. But that's only the beginning of the question, for it goes much deeper than that for each individual person. I've touched on this before in many of my previous blogs, ones about identity, ones about spiritual gifts. All these things comprise who God is telling us we are. This one question is rooted in identity. Going back to my original topic about reading people, and putting it into a little perspective with identity. I think that we as fellow believers have been given the ability to read each other. Or rather, Prophecy what each other's identities are, or pieces of them. Isn't that what the fellowship is designed to do? Build each other up, and what better way to do it than in revealing what God is saying to each of us?

Just some thoughts!

- God Bless!

Who is God... to You?

2007-08-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

So the question is posed, Who is God to You? And it may seem like an odd question at first, but if you really take time to think about it you will begin to see that this question has many answers. Some of which may be true, and some which are not.

In our fellowship we have been discussing this question for a while now, probably about a month. And we've found that this question is quite an important one in figuring out where we are with God, and what he is currently teaching us. I mean right now, ask yourself, "Who is God to me?" what kind of answers do you get? Patient, caring, listening. Maybe you have an answer that's longer than one word. Such as, He is comforting me in my time of need. Now these are all answers, I mean we are digging at peoples experiences so I can't say that one is better than the other or one is more right than another. But I think we can look at them and see if they exhibit characteristics of God, specifically his love, since pretty much when we ask Who is God to me? we are asking ourselves how we see God loving us. If we answered with care or patience, maybe we have been through a season where God is being patient with us, sitting by waiting for us to come back to him, or similar. If we say God is my comfort, maybe we are going through a hard time and we are learning to take refuge in the Lord. Now the reason why I bring this up is because it lets us know where we are growing. Because if God is being patience to us, then we should begin to change into it. Once we see God moving somewhere as children we should begin to imitate our father in that way. How is a child supposed to learn to talk? Isn't it by imitation? Listening to the world around and picking up on all the words... In the same way we as Christians learn to be like God, that is we take on God's characteristics as he shows them to us.

Now if God is giving us lots of patience, but we are not being patient with anyone, maybe it's a sign that God is trying to teach us patience but we aren't quite learning it. Now it's not something to get frustrated about, but it is something we can take to heart. We can remind ourselves that God is showing us patience and in the same way we can begin to show others that patience. Or maybe it's comfort, if God is giving us comfort we can in turn give comfort to others. Scripture talks about how we can't give without first receiving, and when God gives something to us, it is then that we can give it away. We love because he first loved us, and all of these things that we receive from God are one and the same: love. It is only love wrapped up in a different name.

The question is designed to make us think, make us search for where God is moving. It is an invitation to seek out what God is doing in your life and recognize it.

As for myself right now I believe God is patient, he is a gentleman, not pushing too hard, but not letting the child go awry. He is wise, giving good counsel where it may benefit. He is the bread of life. He is listening, intently on every word I speak, and waiting on every action I take.

Salvation

2007-08-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

This is something that I never posted up, had it sitting on here for a while so I guess I'll finish it up..

Salvation is an interesting subject. In our western mindsets we think of Salvation as not going to hell. But I think it is a bit different than just this one concept. In fact, in the Old Testament I find two people who went to be with God without having their sins forgiven. Enoch, and Elijah. So I am presented with the idea that pleasing God, and being able to be in God's presence is quite a different thing than not having sin. Hebrews 11 talks about how Faith made men Righteous in God's eyes, Romans talks about how the Law made nothing perfect, that is Righteous. So I find that following the law has absolutely nothing to do with pleasing God. Look at David's life. He took the sacrificial bread, he broke the sabbath, he did many things that were against the law, and yet God was pleased with David. It must be, that God is more concerned with the Heart than he is with the actions. I am reminded of that quote I posted a while ago by AW Tozer.

It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is Sacred or Secular,
it is why he does it. The motive is everything.

This simple yet profound statement captures the heart behind Righteousness. It is more about what is in my heart, and why I am doing something than what I am doing. Sure, James talks about doing good works as an outpouring of the faith we have in God. But if we do these things thinking we must do them for God to see us as right; it is as if we didn't even do them. I say that because the only thing that pleases God is the work that is done in Faith. We know this because Hebrews tells us we can't please God without faith. Nor can we be counted as Righteous, blameless before God without faith. The Law only tells me what I can't do, but when I find that I am removed from the Law I know that I am able to please God. I think it comes back down to how much time we are in the spirit, but not to create another Law by saying that we must live in the spirit all the time, or that we should measure how much time we are in the spirit or whatnot. That's not what it's about. The point is to be in union with the creator, God! And that's the exciting part. Don't try to create a system where you judge how "good" you're doing today, or how "bad" you're doing. Don't try to weigh how much you've been in the spirit. Just be in the spirit as often as you can, or for that matter never leave. But don't beat yourself up for walking away, God doesn't. He welcomes you back with arms wide open, reminding you that he loves you.

- Nick

A Promise

2007-04-30T19:23:00.000-07:00

We've been discussing what Faith, Hope and Love are and how they are central to how we Abide in Christ. One of the biggest things I believe we fail to understand in the church today is what true Hope is. And because we don't actually understand what it means to have hope, we are dieing on the inside. We think that Hope is awaiting Christ to come and take us out of this world. But is that really hope? We hope we die so we can be with God. That doesn't sound very hopeful.. I might as well put a gun to my head so I can be with God. In fact that seems like putting hope in death. When I begin to think like this, I'm reminded that Christ conquered death on the Cross. I mean it says that he became death for us that we would not die. He became sin for us that we may no logner sin.. Those are some powerful words. And if I truly take them for what they are, then why am I still placing my confidence in death. Not only that by Christ told the disciples to pray like this: Thy kingdom come thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. It seems to me that we have our confidence, our assurance, our Hope all mixed up. Our hope is those very things, it is our confidence. We water it down, saying I hope for this, but in all actuality if we hoped for something we would seek to make it come to pass. Love produces Hope, Hope produces Faith, and faith produces works. And by these things we are shown the men of Hebrews 11. The Hall of Faith if you will, that those men without scripture, believe God and, were counted as Righteous. If you look at each individual you will see that behind each man's faith was a Promise. And behind each promise was a loving God. So I must conclude that true Christians are produced when they take up the promises that God has given them, that is to hope. But this is exactly what Satan doesn't want. He wants Christian's too focused on their sin, their bondage to be able to even think about what it would be like to hear God speak. Or see people raised from the dead. The greatest evil of the Modern Church is pushing the Law of Sin upon God's Children. Telling them they are bound up and must follow the Law before they can do God's work. Yet when I browse Romans I find that it was while we were still sinners that God sent Christ. He didn't send Christ to save those who were good followers of the law... No he came to save those who were bound to sin. The rejected, the poor, the sick, and the broken. Yet the Church with it's Law has said, if you repent your sins you will be free, but why then do we continue coming back again and again.. Because telling God you have done a bunch of sins when he doesn't see them is absurd. Did not Christ die for all sins on the cross? Or do we need to continue moping to God about how we did this or that because there's some magical release in telling God what he can't see. I mean if Christ wiped away all the sin, why are we continually telling God we have this sin, it's a false hope! It's a hope that if we continue to "repent" and continue to love our neighbor God might declare us righteous. And honestly I can say that this hope is a completely fleshly hope and has no place in Christ. It's a false hope, for it doesn't give confidence but rather fear of Judgement. But that's the thing, if we knew we were free in Christ then we would know that God has declared us Righteous, and if we are then Righteous we know we can boldly come before God without fear of his judgement.

Holy Week Day 4

2007-04-05T23:47:00.000-07:00

Wildhorse canyon... We had arrived. The trip was awesome. Talking about God in a van with seven people for four hours was simply amazing. The Lord was doing a good work. Then after we got there John Mark gave a message, and it reminded me of some things that I have written about in the past. Things about vision, and identity. Truths that are good to know and remember every so often.

Habakkuk 2 was the chapter of focus for the week, watching, waiting and living by faith was the message. One of the main things that was brought up was identity. Do we know who we are? because for us to have vision and purpose we need to know who we are. If we are unsure of who we are, then we can't be sure of where God wants us to go. We will doubt our abilities, and also doubt what God is telling us. This relates to what the Lord has named us. We see in the Old and New Testament that God loves to give people new names, he loves to rename people as a sign of what they are. Jesus declares that Peter is a little rock and this new name gives Peter something to focus in on, and something to dream with. Likewise, God is desiring to give us a name, or show us what our name means. This helps give us direction of where the Lord desires to take us. We also need to seek the Lord about what ministry he is giving us. These all help us focus in on the vision the Lord is giving us.

I'll take my life as a bit of an example. My name literally means Victory of the People, and this is something that the Lord has spoken to me saying that I will be a Victory for people, and that I will do it through a pastoral type ministry. That through pastoring the Lord has allowed me to set people free, to comfort, to encourage and to labor with. Now this is only a very generalized part of the vision God has given me, but I hope it serves to show you what I'm talking about when I say we need to know who we.

John Mark mentioned that vision was different from dreams, but I would suggest that when we are given direction and vision from God, the dreams begin to come. What I mean is, once we realise who we are in the Lord, God opens up our hearts and allows us to dream big for Him. God has put some cool desires within my soul, and they are things I will labor in so that I might see them come to pass. Some can be had much sooner than others, and some have requirements. But while the Lord puts desires in our hearts, and good ones. He also requires us to put our faith in Him that He will be able to accomplish them. The dreams I have in my heart are bigger than me, and the only way they can come together is if God has gone out before me and prepared the way.

Holy Week Day 3

2007-04-04T23:51:00.000-07:00

Today I went back to my old Church again. This time I took a few more people, for most of the time I worked on a poem which I will share later, but we were also there for the little devotional. He read through Matthew 5:43-48. And at the end of 48 it says that we should be Perfect as God is perfect. I see it as a push for us to be closer to God.
Random side-thought as I'm sitting here recounting the events of the day and what took place at the church. I'm reminded that as I enter any place, whether it's another church, my house, a restaurant, or whatever, I take God with me, or rather He leads me and I follow... But as I enter those places the Lord asks me to put him as the focus. It boils down to Spiritual warfare really. I remember the words of Jesus, "my Kingdom come, my will be done." And as I go into a place God asks me to establish his presence there, to rebuke the enemy and shine the light through the oppression. I think I forgot that earlier tonight, and It's a shame, because if I had remembered I think the Lord would have done a much cooler work.

Anyhow enough of my rambling, here's the poem I wrote earlier.

My life is liquid noise -- carved --
through river tumbling from -- peaks --
of Living and --Death's -- Long -- Valley --
a Path of triumph -- amidst --
the sorrow of -- days --
though walking -- through deserts old --
I -- Will -- Sing -- His -- Praise

- NM

Holy Week Day 2

2007-04-03T22:43:00.000-07:00

Today the Lord was really pressing Thanksgiving on my heart. In the small group we took time to just give thanks to God. We stood around in a circle and gave thanks to God one after the other for anything and everything. And then we were reminded that God desires sacrifice. If we offer God something that is no value to us, are we really offering God anything? God wants us, our whole being, and that means what we really care for. He doesn't want something that costs us nothing. And as we went around the circle we were reminded that we should be giving God praise for those things that he has been doing in our lives, not just things that have little effect on us. But the real substance. Like the direction he is gives us in the morning. Or the freedom we have to obey his words.

After we went around in a circle a few times we started giving thanks each at his own pace. If you haven't done this I suggest you try it with some people. Each person giving thanks to God at the same time. Often when we come together we will wait for each person to finish praying, and then agree with them, and move on to the next person. And that's good, but I really enjoy when the Praises of the Saints go up as a cacophony. Just a big mix of God's people pouring their hearts out. At first it's really hard to start, people are so trained not to speak when someone else is that it's hard to get other people to thank God while someone else is. Sometimes I think we are a little too courteous. We don't want to start speaking because we're afraid what other people will think of what we say, or we don't want to interrupt someone else. But honestly God wants us to speak up, to say out loud the things we love about him.

Holy Week Day 1!

2007-04-03T01:46:00.000-07:00

So I decided to post up some of my experiences during Holy week, as I feel like setting aside more time than usual to seek God and his face, and to experience Him more close. Today I went back to good Ol' GPBC to check out their stations and what the Lord had in store there. As I was going through the different stations set up I came across a really cool hymn and a quote that I'd like to share with you all.

When we are living, it is in Christ Jesus,
And when we're dying, it is in the Lord.
Both in our living and in our dying,
We belong to God, we belong to God.

Through all our living, we our fruits must give,
Good works of service are for offering
When we are giving or when receiving,
We belong to God, we belong to God.

'Mid times of sorrow and in times of pain,
When sensing beauty or in love's embrace,
Whether we suffer, or sing rejoicing,
We belong to God, we belong to God.

Across this wide world, we shall always find
Those who are crying with no peace of mind,
But when we help them, or when we feed them,
We belong to God, we belong to God.

When we are living - By Roberto Escamilla

It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is Sacred or Secular, it is why he does it. The motive is everything. - A.W. Tozer

Dream Big

2007-04-02T02:10:00.000-07:00

During our family gathering this morning, known as "church" to the Protestant world many of you come from, we split up into small groups and discussed a little bit about evangelism, and what it is to go to reproduce after your own kind. How we are called to minister to those who are directly around us. And I peeked in on Jesse's small group for a little while after the adult's finished up. He was discussing how we dream with God in the youth group. Asking them what dreams God had given them, and I got back to thinking about the dreams that God has given me. I've come to this place in my life where I know God, and I know his goodness, and I've begun to re-think my dreams. I've begun to stir them up, pull them out of that little cubby where they've always been hiding. Do you ever do that? Dream for a while and then put them away, kind of like a Child's toy. You take it out for a while play with it and put it back in it's place... But I think I'm starting to realise that the dreams that God has planted within my heart are truly things he desires I seek after. If God, who knit and formed me in my mother's womb, gave me such great desires then wouldn't it be an Act of Faith to pursue them? I wonder about what it really means to dream with God. I wonder what it looks like to let God take control of my dreams and mold them into something real.

Jesse and I were talking a bit later on this evening. He mentioned that joy really comes out of a good imagination, being able to dream up things and seeing where the Lord takes them. Kids can play for hours with a stick, because they can make up a whole world around it.
I find that God uses it like poetry, only for our lives. God writes lines on our hearts and pushes us to seek them out. And as I sit here way too late in the night I contemplate a few questions: Am I dreaming with God? What are the dreams that God has been giving me? Am I pursuing those dreams? What could I do to awaken the dreams, or prepare myself for them later?

"Had I the heaven's embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams."

- William Butler Yeats

The Exodus

2007-03-28T16:28:00.000-07:00

Alright, so this is a picture that Marc gave a while ago, and I'm stealing it, cause I love stealing analogies and using them as my own! Anyhow, I think this analogy really highlights what it is to live in perpetual motion toward the Kingdom of God, and how we enter into that kingdom. So without anymore rambling here's the picture:

We see Moses in the Old Testament as a type of Christ. The Lord came to him and asked him to go to Egypt and preach the Promised Land to Israel, his main purpose wasn't to tell them they would be free, that was part of it, but his emphasis was on the promised land. Moses went and told Egypt that it had no hold over Israel any longer. And then Moses performed signs and wonders and the last one was the death of the firstborn son. And through this Egypt let Israel go.

In the same way we see Christ come to the people of the World preaching about the Kingdom of God, not just forgiveness of sins. We see Christ performing miracles, signs and wonders to all who would receive him. And as Christ went to the cross it was only through his death, the death of the firstborn son, that God's people were let go from their sin.

As Joseph added, the signs and wonders were used as a validation of who Christ and Moses were. The signs and wonders being a seal of approval from God that their ministry was legitimate.

It's important to see here that both Moses and Christ didn't stop at preaching about release from bondage. God had more in store for Israel than just escaping Egypt, and he has more for Christian's than just escaping sin. In fact, Jesus preached forgiveness of sins because it's the only way we can enter into the Kingdom, until we are free we can't enter in. The Holy Spirit was revealing to me that Moses also preached death to the bondage. He told Egypt that they must let his people go. In the same way Christ, through his death, told death it no longer had any hold over men.

Once the Israelites were disowned by Egypt, they came to the Red Sea being chased by Egypt. Moses parted the Red Sea, Israel crossed on dry ground and came to the other side. And as they reached the other side the Red Sea closed back up and washed away the army.
Likewise we as Christians are baptised in the blood of Christ in our own Red Sea. This is a significant piece here because it shows us that like Israel, we are now free from the bondage of sin. Just as the army came trailing the Israelites, our sin doesn't want to let us go. It kicks us out of our home when we Identify with Christ, and then it changes it's mind. It attempts to re-enslave us and take us back into our bondage, but we are washed in baptism and sin has no power.

This is what 1 Corinthians says about it:

1 Corinthians 10:1-6

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.

As the Israelites came out of the sea, it says that they were now led by the cloud of smoke by day and the pillar of fire by night. This is a picture of us as Christians being led through the wilderness, through the dry times, by the Holy Spirit. Then we see Israel come to the edge of the Promised Land, they tasted the fruit and disobeyed God, desiring to go back to their bondage that God had just rescued them from. And it's clear in Psalm 95 that God was angered:

Psalm 95:7-11

Today, if you will hear His voice: "Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, When your fathers tested Me; They tried Me, though they saw My work. For forty years I was grieved with that generation, And said, "It is a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.' So I swore in My wrath, "They shall not enter My rest.'

And just as the Israelites were rejected by God, Psalm 95 warns us to obey God or he may not allow us to enter the Kingdom of God. Hebrews also talks about this. So I am forced to conclude that entering the Kingdom is something that has not happened yet. We are still in the wilderness being led by the Spirit. We are still able to see the miraculous provision, just like God provided for the Israelites for 40 years, but God provided for them even though they didn't obey him. So I find that God truly desires obedience from us. If we desire to see God, know his ways, and walk into the Kingdom we need to be people who obey. The emphasis isn't on a list of rules, it's on hearing God's voice and doing what God has told you.

Complacency

2007-03-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

Lets be real, how many of us go to church on Sundays only to turn around and forget everything God said during the week, how often do we take a break from our supposedly busy schedules and include God in our doings, in our ways during the day. When was the last time we asked God what we should eat for lunch? Or if he wanted us to talk to someone on a walk through the neighborhood.

I feel like we satisfy for much less than God wants for us, we are satisfied with 1 day of saying hi with God, as if we are flirting with life and heading back into the bosom of death. And I'm reminded of a couple lines from the Mission statement from a church in Cali...

"We have decided that nothing short of His Kingdom come, His will be done in our world as it is in Heaven will satisfy."

"We have decided that having a good church club is not enough, good fellowship is not enough, and just being a member of that club is not enough."

"We have decided that it is better to fail while reaching for the impossible that God has planned for us than succeed settling for less."

It seems as if we are too easily pleased, we see the things of the world and we jump all over them. We surround ourselves with goods, and then we create our own little church laws and customs that say well you know, as long as you're going to church 2 days a week it's okay to be living in the world the rest of it. Atleast that's what a lot of it looks like. Indulging in the things of the world and then stepping in for church, but we're okay because we are still going to church.

But in all reality we are only killing ourselves, we aren't fooling anyone. It grieves me that we fall into the same traps that the accuser sets for us over and over. We clamp our law down and say we are perfectly alright because we have God, the bible and go to church. We get distracted by the things of the world so easily, is it because we have never really tasted God's goodness? Have we never desired to seek God with our whole hearts? All I can remember is God walking through the garden asking, "Where are you Adam?"

It really comes back to desire, how much we are willing to settle for in the Lord. Are we content with only seeing him one day a week or do we want to push for more? Do we realize how much we really need God or are we too distracted by all this stuff. Maybe we think we can buy true happiness, and so we don't really think we need God. And because of that we aren't desperate enough for Him in our lives.

A Revelation of Freedom

2007-03-04T01:07:00.000-08:00

Just some things that were said in a few sermons I listened to this week.. I think they'll really spark some thought.

"We don't know how to deal with the new nature, because we don't know how to be free. We know how to free ourselves to go to a meeting and try to feel free, but to go away from the meeting and walk in freedom is quite a different deal. The reason why people want Jesus but don't want to go to church is because they see the captivity and bondage around church."

"The place of rest is inside you. You were never designed to go to heaven... God never designed you to go to the sky, and God never designed you to fly.... The new nature is not excited about going to heaven, only; It's about occupying and demonstrating the kingdom here on earth."

"The strongest spirit of religion is not in the world, but in the church."

This last week the Spirit gave me this amazing revelation of what it really is to be under Law and in bondage, and how Christ truly is our freedom. I think the first quote here really starts to relate to us. Satan blinds us to where we are and, we really think we are getting free. We go to church and we think we are doing good things. But then we ask God, why can't I feel you? I've done all these good things for you. And the simple reply is I don't want your works I want you. I'm not saying God doesn't enjoy us obeying him, or he doesn't enjoy seeing his children follow in his ways, but those things come from us knowing who Christ is. How can we expect to imitate Christ if we are too busy trying to imitate what we think we see him as, instead of talking with Him, and letting Him replace our nature with his own. We get stuck in the Bible saying well the Bible says we need to do this and the BIble says we need to do that, and we forget that God is crying out for us to simpley come to him. To whisper in His hear, to spend time praying and seeking his face. How can we worship God on Sunday, but not on Monday? Worship isn't what we do in front of other people, it's what we do when we are alone. Worship means to kiss the feet, it's an intimate thing. Can you kiss your love in front of a whole croud? Or maybe a bit deeper, can you have sex in front of a whole croud? The point I'm getting at is our personal lives with Christ need to reflect worship and love of Christ, otherwise that thing we do on Sunday just becomes a Law, a regulation we place on ourselves. And I don't mean we should 'do our prayer' and make a check off every day, that only turns the freedom back into bondage, it makes it Law once more. I mean we should desire God, we should desire to worship Him, we should desire to be with Him.

But It is in our old nature that we desire to judge ourselves before God, we tell ourselves well God will hear me if I come to Church, I will be his best son, and then when we don't hear God it's like our worlds fall apart. Isn't this so much like the Son in the story of the Prodigal Son. The one who stays home with his father and serves him, when the lost brother comes back he is angered and sad because He thinks it should be his right to have party. We are so like that. We think that because we have done what we think is God's standard that we should be entitled to His blessings.

Seasons

2007-02-27T03:36:00.000-08:00

Looking back I can see what seems like a fairly wintery winter. One of those seasons where you hole up, and ultimately take a little too much time for yourself. But like I mentioned before, the cycles tend to come to an end, and the things we learn in them influence us, and so we move on with life. It seems like I cycle through lots of different modes in my life. Maybe it's something that's common with 20 somethings.. A lot of things tend to trigger shifts for me, switching jobs, the change in seasons, and other things like that. They usually start with the shifting of my time from one area to another; and then before I know it my behaviours have changed. It's quite odd how different people react to the changes in your life too. Some people will think your world is coming to an end, some people don't notice, and others seem to wonder what's going on but don't bother to find out. It's this whole cycle thing that keeps me spinning around, and yet I find that a lot of the time I wish I didnt go through it.

But on to some other things, mainly the whole reason why I blog:

So we're beginning to go through some different books in the family, and on Thursdays we are focusing on 1 Corinthians. This next week we are doing chapter 9 so here are just a few of my thoughts on the chapter and some of the little gems that the Lord is showing me.
1 Corinthians 9

One of the first things I noticed was in verse 14, it says "Even so, the Lord ordained those announcing the gospel to live from the gospel. " And it reminded me that when God sends someone to preach the Gospel, he requires, them to be living it. But this is one of those cyclical things, because to preach the gospel one must truly be living from it first. How can you preach love when you hate your brother? 1 John talks about this. The saying goes, practice what you preach. But I'm going to play with words and say "You preach what you practice." mostly because "Actions speak louder than words." what we do to people is our message about who we are, and what we are truly following no matter what we say. This is probably why the world has a messed up view of what the "Christian" looks like. The idea that it's just a normal western person has been ground into their head by all these people who say they are Christians. Paul gets at this in verse 16 when he says "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel" He knows that if he is not preaching the Gospel then surely he isn't living it!

Then I see Paul begin talking about servanthood, saying that even though he is free in Christ he will become a slave too all that he may save more. Now God gave me an interesting picture last week of how this works, so here it is. Paul likes to identify himself as a bondservent of Christ. He uses that title multiple times in the New Testament. He is associating himself as having absolutely no rights over himself, but stating that Christ is now his master. Now the cool thing is that we are all like this, or going there. Bondservents. Now God will invite someone into a communion with him, and he'll want us to be a part of it. So that person is God's guest, and God desires that we treat that person as if they are the most important person in the world. So who is God's guest? Well we take the Kingdom with us, and God with us. So really it's the same answer that Jesus gave in his parable answering who the man's neighbor was. God's guests are those people we come in contact with everyday whether we know who they are or not. And God asks us to lay down our lives for them. This is the gospel that Paul said he could not abandon, this is what God is desiring for us to do.

Paul later goes on to talk about why he does this, why he gives up his life so easily. He says he does it because he does not want to be disqualified from the race. He didn't want to hear Christ say He didn't know him.

Daily, again.

2007-01-03T06:56:00.000-08:00

In my last post I presented what I thought, at the time to be a more different approach to living in Christ. But I find that the core of it lies not at how many times we meet together, but rather how much time we are spending with God. See, if I am spending my whole day with God, then I will desire to share a part of that day with those who also seek God. As it says in proverbs as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. And this is quite true. If I am truly seeking after God, I will desire to be in communion and fellowship with those who are also truly seeking after God's Face.

Psalm 27:4

"The one thing I ask of the LORD-- the thing I seek most-- is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD's perfections and meditating in his Temple."

Psalm 1:2

"But they delight in doing everything the LORD wants; day and night they think about his law."

David had the right idea, he understood it was a Daily thing. He desired so much to dwell in God's house that he put forth his effort to be there. And God honored him for it.

Daily

2007-01-01T20:51:00.000-08:00

Numbers 4:16

"And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest belongs the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily food offering, and the anointing of oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle and of all that is in it, in the sanctuary and in its vessels."

It may look like an odd verse to start out with, I mean who goes to numbers right? Hah! well I'd like to continue my thoughts on the whole 'church' thing that I've been going over, and the book of Numbers is where I begin!

If you notice the emphasis on the word daily, I will explain why I believe this to be a crutial thing that we have missed out on. You see in the old testament God required a daily sacrifice, now that seems like a lot of work. Daily sacrifice, one thing you know you aren't going to do is forget about it, why? because you have it everyday. It becomes a part of your life, maybe a little too much, to the point where you might devalue it, but you still aren't going to forget about it. Now I bring this old testament verse up because I find it quite interesting that God knew people needed a daily reminder, something to keep them focused on Him, and he provided it. He used the Law to gaurd the hearts of the people.

Now this daily offering was done by the priests, not by all the people, but I'd like to make a connection here. We are God's priesthood. He calls us that in the new testament, saying we are the Royal Priesthood. So with that I'd like to look into some more New Testament verses that say some things about this idea of daily.

Luke 19:47

"And He taught in the temple daily. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy Him."

Acts 2:46-47

"And continuing with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they shared food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

Acts 5:42

"And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."

Acts 16:5

"Then indeed the churches were established in the faith and increased in number daily."

Acts 17:11

"And these were more noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they recieved the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to see if those things were so."

Acts 17:17

"Then indeed he adderssed the Jews in the synagogue, and those worshipping, and daily in the market, to those happening to be there."

Hebrews 3:13

"But exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

I think there's a recurring theme throughout the new and old testament. Daily. And I think we've missed it. We might say, 'daily take up your cross and follow Jesus' But we don't know what that means. We have a hard time figuring out what it means to love our neighbors, and keep looking out for our own families well-being. We aren't sure how we are going to pay the next bill, but we have faith that God will provide. And that's all good, but I think we miss something when we live like that. See before Jesus came, the priests would have to offer a daily sacrifice for theirs and the peoples sins. The message was clear, people sin, and God asked for a daily sacrifice in response. But then he sent Jesus, and immediately I see a change, instead of giving a daily sacrifice the new priesthood is giving a daily offering, they are giving their whole lives. They met daily, with one accord in houses. And their numbers were added to daily. I think if we truly wanted to see change, we might begin by seeing more of our fellow brothers and sisters. You see, we have this image that we need to show the world the love of Christ! We need to love the non-christian. And that's all good and well, but it's the wrong picture. Because our love starts with one another inside the church. We love all people unconditionally, but it is practiced and seen inside the church. And the only way we can practice and show it, is by living our lives together.

Maybe that's why we fail so horribly these days, because we don't meet together daily, we don't take time out of our so-called 'busy' schedules to seek the things of God together. We tell each other, well if you want to seek God then awesome, you can do it. Just stay in the Bible and pray daily, and you will grow closer to Him! but I think that's just a lousy copout to get around having to change our own lives. Are we afraid of what the church, the Body of Christ, might become if we gave up our lives for each other?

Lets do Church.. or Not.

2006-12-31T09:52:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday morning, where do people expect me to be? Probably 'at church.' The idea of going to church.. oh don't let me get started on that one. but I think I will go into it anyway, as it pertains to the subject I'm writing about. So, here goes a random Sunday morning rant about how I feel.

Going to 'church', the idea strikes me as counter-Christian. Church isn't someplace I go, it's not something I do, and it's certainly not some happy idea in the sky. It's what I'm a part of, it is family, it's the people I love, the people I spend the most time with, or should be, and it's the thing which enables me to be in communion with God. It's an organism not a show to bring my friends to. It's not something to invite the world into, it is Sacred. And I guess this is where my frustrations and setbacks come into place.

I'm tired. I'm tired of doing church. I'm tired of making church an organization. I'm tired of church services. I'm tired of church as I know it. I'm pretty much to the point where I don't have any desire to go 'to church', even one that I have helped establish in the past year, mostly because it means another 2-4 hour period where we do 'God-like' stuff. Since when has my christianity been limited to this time? It's like some unsaid terror throughout the Body that sunday is when we talk about God, but we can't get together any other time of the week to do it. in fact, I can't even remember the last time God's Body (the Church) assembled to just simply praise him spontaneously, on say.. Saturday evening, or teusday morning, or Thursday afternoon. What I mean is that we schedule God time, around our jobs, and it is beginning to frustrate me. I do it so I'm no exception, but I'm tired of doing it. I feel like there's no adventure, no joy, no life in this every sunday, every thursday, or whenever your 'local church' has decided to have services. Doesn't God like all my life? Must I simply choose one or two days when I meet with other believers? How come it's so easy to go through the week and spend time with so many worldly people or doing so many different worldly things, but we find it an utter struggle to even call one person and spend some good, God-time with them. I don't mean doing worldly things, or talking about them. I mean why is it so hard to even mention what God is doing in our lives? Is it because we don't really know? Is it because we don't take time to figure out what God is doing so we can share with other people? Myself included here, I'm no better than anyone else at walking with God, I just find that when it comes to my life, I notice that there are a lot of things that seem quite out of place. And for the most part, it seems acceptable to everyone in the Christian-realm.

I know I go through seasons in my life, times when things just aren't as appealing as when other things are, and given time the old things come back and I can enjoy them. But I'm wondering, if this is the same thing. If me just being tired of grinding through the weeks, going to Sunday and then Thursday, wondering if learning some knew knowledge about God is really what life is all about. Because I find that experiencing God is a whole lot more enjoyable than just knowing who He is, and what He is about.

Foundations

2006-12-10T19:51:00.000-08:00

Alright, so this is something I've been formulating in my mind for some time.. As you can see I haven't posted for over a month, mostly because I haven't really felt like I've had anything to post about. But without further adue, Foundations:

When I say foundations, what I'm really referring to is how we build relationships with other people. I believe when we interact with someone we have a choice, and that choice is to either deal in the spiritual or deal in the worldly. When we first meet someone we have the opportunity to build a foundation with that person that will often last the whole entire time we know them. This is the foundation I'm referring to.

So when I meet someone new, I will either begin by engaging them with the things of the world or with spiritual things. Now the first one, the worldly subjects, are not necessarily bad by themselves, but ultimately they are completely useless by themselves. What I mean when I refer to the worldly things, and the worldly foundations, I mean things like sports, shopping, what I'm going to dress like, video games, books, media, music, and other things that don't relate whatsoever to how the person is truly doing. You see, these things by themselves don't actually provide the Christian with any way to reach the person they are building a relationship with. And can actually be a hindrance to the Christian trying to establish a relationship with someone of the world.

I don't mean to say that music, or sports, or anything on that list is inherently wrong to talk about, what I'm saying is that when we engage in a relationship with someone, anyone, if we primarily speak of only these things then we build a foundation that makes it acceptable to never move beyond the things of the world. The worldly cares can choke out any desire to persue spiritual connection in the relationship. This builds a foundation, a stronghold for Satan to continue the relationship in a wholely meaningless state. This hinders any kind of spiritual interaction that the holy Spirit would want for me to do. It also gives the enemy a place where he can work in my life.

Now this idea of foundations is paramount, because in our society we think it's okay to evangelise to people casually, through our 'way of life' but what I have noticed is that the normal "Christian Life" hardly varies from that of the world. So there must be something different that a Christian can convey and base their relationships in than what we would consider normal. And here is where I turn to Jesus. All we have to do is read through the Gospels and we see how he interacts with people. The woman at the well, Jesus begins by talking about being married, and immediately turns and Prophecies over the woman. He uses a piece of knowledge that the Holy Spirit gives him as a window to show the Power, and Authority of God.
Next I'm reminded of the man possessed by Legion. And Jesus directly confronts the demons, telling them to leave. And the man is so grateful that he wants to follow Jesus around. That's more powerful than a worldly relationship that has been going since childhood!

So as I read the Gospels I'm confounded with Jesus addressing things from a Spiritual standpoint. This includes Physical things, He praised the woman who gave 2 cents, and related it to how much she had given in her heart, turning it into a matter of spirit, not just what was given physically. Jesus healed people, curing them of their diseases, through the power of the Holy Spirit. He confronted peoples Physical, and emotional problems with Spiritual power. How can we even think we are going to sow in the flesh the Spiritual things?

We can't possibly think we build a foundation that will give forth spiritual fruit, and spiritual things if we base it in fleshly or worldly things.

Hope this helped you, my thoughts may be a little scattered as I stopped and started this a lot!

The Will to Choose

2006-10-31T04:37:00.000-08:00

So I was thinking about creation, and robotics, science, AI, and other things like that. I was pondering on how we as humans, tend to enjoy creating things. To me, this is one of the ways we are a lot like our God. We enjoy creating things, but one thing I noticed that we can not create whatsoever is free choice in a creation. We can not give the power of free choice to any of our creations, and I think there is something cool here. While we may try to emulate what free choice is the way AI works is the program has predetermined values for what is good and what is bad, and it will always follow these circumstances, until the environment changes or new data is recieved. This is much like how an animal views the world. This is what we call instincts, so I see that we can only tell our Artificial Intelligences tasks to do, but we can not give them free will.
Now this brings me to a distinction of why. and while I think about why we can't give AI free will to do as it pleases it dawns on me that it is because when we create something we only create it in the physical, with things that God has given us. And we can not give something a soul, for a soul is an eternal thing, that only God has the power to create. Now I say Soul because our will is part of our soul, and we will to do this, or will to do that.
Instinct is different than willing to do something, instinct will tell you to remove your hand from fire because fire is hot and will cause you harm. Will gives you the ability to choose to keep your hand over the fire or not. So I see that will gives me the ability to overcome instinct, and even oftentimes 'common sense'

So what I suggest is humans are the only beings on this earth that have souls, and will ever have souls. (Except maybe Angels who as we see in the Bible had a choice). Besides that no other creature, created has the will to choose. And this is another way we can see that we are like God. God has free will to choose to do what He desires.

Oh yah, today is Halloween, and for anyone that is reading this today if you'd like to join my church in prayer, and a spirit of submission to God's will please do! We are praying that God's Kingdom will be expanded today, and that the works of the devil will be of no effect, that all his schemes and strategies that take place on this night will be thoroughly disrupted and also that God will use it as a time to bring people to His Glorious self!

Obedience

2006-10-29T20:20:00.000-08:00

So I've been thinking a lot on obedience, discussing it with fellow Christians, of different backrounds, and really seeking the Holy Spirit in the topic of obedience. I find a common idea circulating Christian Theology is that Belief in Christ is the only thing necessary for salvation. And while this might seem like a harmless statement I am compelled to investigate just why I feel on edge whenever I hear someone suggest this.

So is Belief in Christ the only thing necessary for salvation? I'd suggest not, for scripture points us to the fact that demons believe that Christ is God, but that doesn't bring them any closer to Him, it just shows us that they understand who their enemy is, and who they are fighting against. What do we see in scripture as the requirement for salvation? Faith toward God. Faith toward God has many facets, the first one of which I talked about a while ago, and that is repentance. Having Faith in Christ and His ability to atone completely for all sins everywhere in all of humanity, that is the first step of 'Faith toward God.' The second thing that accompanies this repentance, is what we are turning to. Repentance is a changing of the mind from one thing to another, so we must know what we are repenting from, dead works (Hebrews 6:1), and who we are turning to, Christ as Lord of our Life. So repentance leads us to make Christ our Lord. Now these two things are what I consider a bit of 'Faith toward God.'

Now that I've thought through I little of what repentance and Christ as Lord is to me, I'd like to focus on Faith and obedience, and How it relates to law. Since the basis for most of peoples suggestion of Belief in Christ is all that is required of is that, we do not need to do the works of the law any longer.

Now in Hebrews we get a very good picture of Faith, in fact we get such a clear picture of Faith through Abraham. It says that his faith was counted to him as Righteousness. And I think about why God shows us the picture of Abraham offering his own son on the mountain. And I can only think of this: Faith is only Faithful when operating in obedience to God's words. What I mean is that, faith can only be faith when you do something with it. Your faith does not manifest until you actually act on it, you can have all the faith in the world but if you don't act on your faith, it's not really faith but just something you think of. Faith is something that pushes a person into action for the thing they have Faith in. Likewise, if I have Faith in Christ, in God, and in the work of the Holy Spirit, it will push me to learn about each one, it will push me to understand how they work, and it will push me to a place where I desire to do the will of God. Likewise the opposite is also true, if I don't obey what God has told me, it shows that I have a lack of faith in the things that God has said.

When I make this picture of Faith and obedience, I come to the same conclusion that James does, that Faith without works is dead. Why? Because Faith produces works, the natural outcome of having Faith in God is obedience to his command, 'To love God and to love our neighbor.' A lot of times I hear people trying to cry, that's Law, that's Law, we don't have to do that anymore! But I think there's a distinction here that Jesus makes, between the Levitical Law, and the commandment of God. Jesus told us that he gave us a 'new commandment' that we are to live by. I've heard a lot of people attempt to suggest that if we try to obey the things that Jesus told us to do, and to impose them on everyone we are telling people to 'live by the law' and we can't do that. But what I'm trying to clear up here, is that Faith pushes us into obedience to what Jesus told us to do. If I have faith in Christ and His love, I wont second guess why Jesus asked me to do certain things, or to not to other things. What Christ changed was that we do not have Salvation through the works of the law. But if you see God's heart in the Old testament, and as we read Hebrews, we see that those who Pleased God were those who had Faith in him, not those who simply did the rituals. It has always been about placing our faith in God, and it will always be. The only change is the commandment of what we shall do, while we don't need to adhere to the Levitical Law, Christ has given us a new commandment that we are asked to follow.

I heard a sermon today giving a good analogy of love, and I think it relates pretty well here. If a father loves his Child, he only thinks about good things for the Child, and he is so overwhelmed with thoughts of good, that thoughts of evil are unable to enter into the father's mind, why would he want anything bad for his child? Likewise I think this extends not only to how God views us, but also to how we are to look at God. If we truly love God, it wont be a burden about, oh I just like that sin I used to be in, and oh I just loved being in Rebellion and how it was a mockery of you, I just loved that I didn't know you, let it not be so! If we love God we would desire the best sacrifice for Him, we wouldn't be so complacent during our worship, we would truly desire to give Him everything we are, that's what true love is all about, sacrifice. And that's exactly what Jesus showed us.

Mostly I write all this because it seems Satan has infected the Church with this idea that we can say we know God, and we love Him, but we really don't need to live the lifestyle, or give up everything we are to Him. This really bothers me, for I find that God asks all of me as soon as I give Him an inch of me. As soon as I think I can barter with God and try to keep my life for myself, then I can be sure that I have already lost my life and the only way I can truly get it back is if I give it willingly to Christ. When I consider what Faith, and repentance are it really highlights the difference between just saying I am a Christian, and actually living out being like Christ.

The Godhead - Part 2

2006-10-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

Alright, so continuing my thoughts on the Godhead, today I'm going to look a little into who God the Holy Spirit is, some reasons to Worship the Spirit, some things the Holy Spirit works in, and ways to recognize the Holy Spirit! So without anymore babbling:

1 Corinthians 2:10

"That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God's deep secrets. "

Matthew 12:28

"But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you."

Luke 10:21

'Then Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit and said, "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding the truth from those who think themselves so wise and clever, and for revealing it to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.'

Acts 16:6-7

"Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had told them not to go into the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go."

John 3:5

Jesus replied, "The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. So don't be surprised at my statement that you must be born again. Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit."

Acts 2:4

And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

Romans 14:17

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

John 14:15-18

"If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you."

Galatians 5:22-23

"But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law."

Acts 15:28-29

"For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or eating the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell."

Luke 11:13

"If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

John 7:37

"If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within." (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)"

Acts 1:8

"But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Act 20:28

Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood.

John 16:12-15

"Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me. All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me."

Romans 8:26-27

"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. "

Acts 11:28

"One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings to predict by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.)"

Romans 8:11-14

"The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living within you. So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. "

Just a good list of verses for now! I think a lot of them show us a good bit of truth about who the Holy Spirit is and what He does in our lives.

Fun! What's That?

2006-10-21T01:23:00.000-07:00

Fun, it's something we as Americans like to judge things by, we label things as not fun, or as fun. We create an imaginary scale in our heads as to what is the most fun, on how much fun we can have doing something, and whether or not we are willing to do something based on how much fun it is. And I'd like to take a little time here and disect what we are really saying when we call something fun, and how it relates to life.

So as I begin thinking about all the things that I consider fun, I am presented with two primary reasons why I call something fun. The first is because it gives me some sort of satisfaction, and the second is because it distracts me from what is dissatisfying. I can consider something fun, not because it is primarily satisfying, but because it is hiding the emotions that I find unsettling.

So I'll begin with the first reason, satisfaction. Now there are two kinds of satisfaction at work. Godly satisfaction and Worldly satisfaction. I can see this quite clearly by asking myself if the satisfaction I am getting has anything to with God or with loving other people. Now this isn't an end-all test to worldly or Godly satisfaction, but I'm going to suggest that if God or other people do not benefit from what you are doing and you get satisfaction from it, it is probably a worldly satisfaction. Example: I am satisfied with who I am when I give God praise, therefore I deem that praising God in what I do is fun, it builds on the joy I already have in my life. It builds on the joy that God has already given me.

And as I'm thinking through an example of worldly satisfaction, my thoughts just turned in a completely different way. The Holy Spirit is really beginning to show me the differences between being satisfied in Christ and being satisfied in the world. I find that the world is all about cheap satisfaction, instant gratification. And I find that I don't completely understand the satisfaction that comes with working through a project, diligently seeking to complete it. The hard labor that goes into a project and coming out with something finished. It's like we as a culture need to be satisfied with who we are, so we look only at the outside, what people can see. We judge things on how they can satisfy our needs, but we really forget that God is the one that satisfies.

I am beginning to notice the second way we describe something as being fun is because it puts us in a state where we don't notice what's really going on. It grabs our attention. I would really like to dump anything and everything that captivates your mind that is contrary, to God in this category. And by that I mean, movies, TV, video games, sex, sensual relationships, and even talk that doesn't build anything. When I look at these things I realise that they are all distractions, cheap things that try to deal with my problems by hiding them. They steal my time and put in a place where I don't care. And honestly I'm beginning to become sick of these things, because they are lies, they aren't true. They are beginning to bother me more and more. Not just because they are worldly, but because they rob people of what is truth in their life. Now I'm not saying that all TV, video games, sex, or movies are bad. Because those have their rightful place, and by the movies, tv, and video games there is limited working here, they usually only have a good place when they are used as community building tools. As in, a movie to watch and discuss how it deals with life and God. Or a video game that has a story that sparks a conversation. Basically what I'm getting at is what Paul said, "I find all things lawful, but not all things are beneficial." I'm trying to draw the line by saying if it's not beneficial, why are we doing it? if it's of the World why do we even care about it, or give our lives to it?

The primary idea I'm dealing with here is really not fun, but rather how we live our lives. I mean, are we living our lives in such a way that we can only be satsfied with God, or are we living our lives in such a way that we accept anything that comes by; like the Harlot under the tree. What I mean to say is that we shouldn't be categorizing our lives, or basing what we want to do off of how fun something is or how much satisfaction we can gain, but rather we should base how we live our lives based on what God desires for us. And the primary way we do that is by changing our minds about it.

-I will follow up this post on Thursday/Friday so check back soon :)

John 3:5-6

2006-10-18T04:51:00.000-07:00

Alright, so a friend of mine asked me about John 3:5-6. So here's the afforementioned question:

You posted recently on your blog the phrase:
"It is my full belief that Christians will not be recognized in heaven for their Earthly tags. What I mean is God does not see Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Pentacostal, or Charismatic."

This is not an attack or anything, just a question as after reading other bits of your most excellent blog, but -

In terms of spirit filled christians and non-spirit filled christians, regardless of denomination, how do you personally interpret John 3:5-6

Mm I like this question. So John 3:1-7 in the NLT:

After dark one evening, a Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus, a Pharisee, came to speak with Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are proof enough that God is with you." Jesus replied, "I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God." "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" Jesus replied, "The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. So don't be surprised at my statement that you must be born again. Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit."

Okay, so I find here that Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of God(or Heaven). And the first thing I must remind everyone is that the Kingdom of God/Heaven that Jesus talks about is not Heaven itself. It is primarily the earthly establishment of God's Kingdom. If you look at my earlier post about The Kingdom of God, I go into more detail about it. But why does Jesus tell us that we can not enter the Kingdom of God without being born of both water and spirit? I'd like to suggest to you that Jesus has two meanings here. The first, is a general meaning, when we accept Christ as Lord we become born of the Spirit, we now work in the spiritual more often than the Physical. The second and this may upset some people, is that I think Jesus is also referring to a specific baptism of the Holy Spirit. Meaning, that people can't fully enter the Kingdom of God until they are baptised in the Holy Spirit. Another way to say it might be, people are unable to fully move in the gifts God has given them until they are baptized in the spirit.

I'd like to refute the idea that there are non-spirit filled believers and spirit-filled believers. Either Jesus is your Lord and he has given you the Spirit or He is not your Lord and you do not have His Spirit. What I do believe is that there are those that have been baptized in the Spirit and those who have not been baptized, but this does not make them any less God's Children or any more his Children. The only thing I believe baptism does for a Christian is allow them to move in the gifts of the Spirit with power and authority. I say this because both Paul and Jesus talk about how the temple is no longer a building but human hearts. And the only way a believer is a temple is if the Holy Spirit is residing in them.

I must note that Jesus tells us quite directly in verse 8 that we can't explain How people are born in the Spirit, and so the question I need to ask is not How people are born anew, but Why or what purpose does it serve to be born in the Spirit? And we get the answer in John 3:3,5 So we can See and enter the Kingdom of God.

-With Love!
- Nick

The Godhead - Part 1

2006-10-15T03:35:00.000-07:00

So Joseph asked us to consider the different functions of God the Father, Christ Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I was discussing this with a friend last night and was asked to share my thoughts for all of your benefit! So here are some scripture references and some of my thoughts on the different functions of the all three, this is in no way an exhaustive explanation of each, the Holy Spirit can and will reveal different ways that all three of these work! I encourage you to share with others what God has revealed to you!

God The Father
I think, for myself, I've tended to focus most of my studies on Christ or the Holy Spirit. So it is good to take a look at who God the Father says He is and what He does!

So what is God's interaction with you and I?

Genesis 1:1 - 'creator of all things'

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Acts 1:7 - 'God sets things in His authority'

And he said unto them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority. "

Romans 15:5-7 - 'God of patience, desire is to be Glorified'

"Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus: that with one accord ye may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, even as Christ also received you, to the glory of God."

1 Corinthians 8:6

"yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him;"

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - 'God the great comforter'

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Ephesians 4:6 - 'Supreme Ruler'

"one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all"

Phi 4:20 - 'Give Him Glory!'

"Now unto our God and Father be the glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Rom 8:28 - 'God calls those according to His will'

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. "

Psalm 103:8

"Jehovah is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and rich in mercy."

As I look at what the scriptures say about who God is I find that He is a good God. He is slow to anger, and He calls those according to His will. I see that God desires us to glorify Him. He gives us promises of things to come, and upholds the promises that He has already given us. I see that God is the creator of all things, and He takes great labor to shape each person.

More coming in the next two posts, about Christ and the Holy Spirit. I've been distracted recently sorry people!

Secret Ambition

2006-10-11T06:30:00.000-07:00

Heard David Crowder Band cover this song, and I haven't heard it in a really long time, so I thought I'd post the lyrics cause they are quite cool.

(Michael W. Smith)

Young man up on the hillside
Teaching new ways
Each word winning them over
Each heart a kindled flame
Old men watch from the outside
Guarding their prey
Threatened by the voice of the paragon
Leading their lambs away
Leading them far away

Chorus:
Nobody knew His secret ambition
Nobody knew His claim to fame
He broke the old rules steeped in tradition
He tore the Holy Veil away
Questioning those in powerful position
Running to those who called His name
(But) Nobody knew His secret ambition
Was to give His life away

His rage shaking the temple
His word to the wise
His hand healing on the seventh day
His love wearing no disguise
Some say Death to the radical
He's way out of line
Some say Praise be the miracle
God sends a blessed sign
A blessed sign for troubled times

Chorus:
Nobody knew His secret ambition
Nobody knew His claim to fame
He broke the old rules steeped in tradition
He tore the Holy Veil away
Questioning those in powerful position
Running to those who called His name
(But) Nobody knew His secret ambition
Was to give His life away

no, no
no, no
i tell you nobody knew,
untill he gave his life away

Truth About the Church

2006-10-06T07:39:00.000-07:00

I hope this isn't too long-winded, but I assure you that you will be blessed if you read through this whole thing for what I am about to write to you is a lot of truth that is quite overlooked concerning the Church. Much of this is a paraphrase from The Eternal Church by Bill Hamon. I will give scripture references where intended as he does...

The Church and the Body of Christ are the same.
This might be a given for a lot of you, but just to say it once more. The Church and the Body of Christ are one.

Ephesians 1:22-23

"And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and he gave him this authority for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with his presence."

Colossians 1:18

"Christ is the head of the church, which is his body. He is the first of all who will rise from the dead, so he is first in everything."

Colossians 1:24

"I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am completing what remains of Christ's sufferings for his body, the church."

1 Corinthians 12:27

"Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it."

Only One Church - One Body of Christ
These next scriptures show that there is only one Church. Christ only has one Body, he doesn't have need for more than one. As God only has one Christ, so Christ only has one Church and the analogy extends to just as man is to only have one wife. God only recognizes this group of people as His.
Those who accept Christ and are baptized into Christ are known as the Body of Christ, or also the Church. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free." God doesn't differentiate between different cultural churches, or denominations. Just as the physical body has many members so does the Body of Christ.

Ephesians 2:16

"Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death, and our hostility toward each other was put to death."

Ephesians 3:6

"And this is the secret plan: The Gentiles have an equal share with the Jews in all the riches inherited by God's children. Both groups have believed the Good News, and both are part of the same body and enjoy together the promise of blessings through Christ Jesus."

Ephesians 4:4

"We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future."

Colossians 3:15

"And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful."

Romans 12:4-5

"Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others."

Christians Do Not Function Alone
The Body can function without certain members but not one member is able to function without the Body of Christ. It is possible for a Christian to seperate himself from the corporate Body of Christ and seek to function on his own. The problem is that he will begin to die spiritually. That's why we are called not to forsake the gathering of believers (Heb 10:25).
It is my full belief that Christians will not be recognized in heaven for their Earthly tags. What I mean is God does not see Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Pentacostal, or Charismatic. He sees the Body of Christ. When we get to heaven we will not be recognized as having been a part of one of these movements or doctrinal systems, what we will be recognized for is knowing Jesus. God doesn't look at the name of the building we are worshipping him at, but man does, Man looks to the outward thing which he can associate himself with, while God looks strictly at the heart of the individual. For me, then, calling myself a Pentacostal, or Evangelical or Catholic or Protestant only becomes a burden, for it is another thing that I must uphold beyond what God truly desires. If God doesn't hold any special recognition for it then why do I need to burden myself with it?

The Body of Christ One As Jesus and the Father Are One
The day has dawned and the timing is coming soon when the fulfillment of the prophetic prayer that Jesus prayed in John 17 will be. We are seeing many groups with a desire to become one, a desire for divine unity.

His Prayer Will Be Fulfilled
Jesus prayed (John 17) that all the *true* believers to be in Him and to be one with Him just as the Father and He are one. Now Jesus' prayers do not go unanswered or unheard. And it is aboundingly clear that the Church is not in the state of what Jesus prayed in John 17, so we must assume that His prayer is going to be fulfilled before His second coming. In Isaiah 52:8 we shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Meaning we will all understand the truth. This is not an arguing point, meaning we are not allowed to say that because of Isaiah 52:8 everyone needs to believe what I do, on the contrary each one of us will be perfected in our thought to the mind of Christ shown in Philipians 2, not into a specific persons beliefs.

Holy Ghost pressure
God has allowed the Church to be divisive for the last thousand or so years. There eists much criticism, condemnation, denominational pride, sectarianism, and argumentative and divisive spirits concerning doctrines, revelations, and experiences: and though these exist currently, the day has come and the Lord will no longer allow them to be. The divisiveness will no longer be acceptable by the Holy Spirit. This goes back to what was said about the Body being able to function without certain members. But the members not being able to function without the Body. If a certain member decides to be divisive or such, the Spirit is willing and capable to ungraft the branch from the vine and remove the divisive member. The Holy Spirit is pressuring each member to unify and push the Bride to perfection, so she is ready and acceptable to Christ.

Romans 11:17-22

"But some of these branches from Abraham's tree, some of the Jews, have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, were grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in God's rich nourishment of his special olive tree. But you must be careful not to brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. Remember, you are just a branch, not the root. "Well," you may say, "those branches were broken off to make room for me." Yes, but remember--those branches, the Jews, were broken off because they didn't believe God, and you are there because you do believe. Don't think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. For if God did not spare the branches he put there in the first place, he won't spare you either. Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe to those who disobeyed, but kind to you as you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. "

Spirit of Unity
The Spirit of Christ is working to change each members heart, attitude, and thinking into complete unity. He is working out all that hinders each person from being in unity with the local and corporate Body of Christ. He is working a love and unity within each member to mirror that of what Jesus and His Father have between themselves. Each member will know their place in ministry. As it says in Joel 2:8 they will "not thrust one another they shall not break their ranks but each shall walk in his own path." The lines between elitist mentality will be gone, there will be no position in the Body of Christ that is looked upon as higher or lower, no sense of inferiority or superiority. These devisive feelings are being replaced by the love, unity and oneness that is in Jesus and His Father. What that means is that if we have any attitudes or things that hinder this unity or love being shown the spirit will have to weed them out of us. Spiritual pride, resentment, jealousy, have it all figured out mentality, our group is the elected few in the Bride, indpendant or self-righteous spirit, too historical, evangelical, conservative to demonstrative and liberated charismatics: must all be removed. God must take each of us through that refining fire, to burn all the wood, hay and stubble so that nothing remains but the pure goodness of Christ's love, nature and character (1 Corinthians 3:13).

John 17:11, 20-23

"Holy Father, keep them and care for them--all those you have given me--so that they will be united just as we are..... am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father--that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are--"

Becoming a Member in the Body of Christ
Physically you can do nothing of yourself to be a member in the Body of Christ. You can't join in, as Jesus states you must be born again, or adopted into the Church. Membership in the Body of Christ only comes of, through and by the Holy Spirit.

John 3:3-7 - 'born of the Spirit'

"Jesus replied, "I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God."
"What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" Jesus replied, "The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. So don't be surprised at my statement that you must be born again. "

Romans 8:15 - 'adopted'

"So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family --calling him "Father, dear Father."

Romans 8:16 - 'Spirit bears witness'

"For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children"

1 Corinthians 12:13 - 'baptized into the Body by the Spirit'

"Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit."

Colossians 1:13 - 'into the Kingdom'

"For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son."

Ephesians 5:30

"And we are his body."

Roll Book in Heaven
As explained in the previous section, there is no way that a person can become a member of the Church, except through the Spirit. This means that you do not become a member of the Church by becoming a member of some denomination or independant church. Being considered a member of one of those does not make you a part of the true Body of Christ. The true book is in Heaven, the book of life.

Luke 10:20 - 'names in Heaven'

"But don't rejoice just because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered as citizens of heaven."

Ephesians 2:19 - 'citizens'

"So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family."

Philippians 3:20 - 'citizens of Heaven'

"But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. "

Revelation 21:27 - 'written in the Book of Life'

"Nothing evil will be allowed to enter--no one who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty--but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life."

Who Decides the Members Place of Function?
While each member of the Body is given gifts, it is not up to man to give them out. Man does not give the gifts of the Spirit. No person can choose what your calling is or what gifts you have. And with that, also, no man can seperate you from the Body of Christ. While we can choose to use our gifts and choose to serve God with our ability, ultimately it is God that makes the decision of how, where, with what, and with whom we serve. Also with gifts comes the ability to expand, to grow. The Lord tests with responsibility and awards those who are faithful, both now and in eternity. Let it be made clear that the Holy Spirit is the only one that can impart and ordain ministry. Although, the voice may come in many different ways, you can hear him tell you this through other people or sovereignly speaking to you. There is a difference between a prophet seeing what the Holy Spirit has placed in you, and operating outside of the spirit by telling people what they should be doing in the church. The Spirit always encourages lovingly, speaking truth into peoples lives. It is not forceful when it comes to gifts, it will always invite you to come and see more of what it has to offer.

1 Corinthians 12:18 - 'God puts the parts'

"But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it."

Romans 9:16 - 'Not our choice but God's'

"So receiving God's promise is not up to us. We can't get it by choosing it or working hard for it. God will show mercy to anyone he chooses. "

Romans 1:1 - 'Paul chosen by God'

This letter is from Paul, Jesus Christ's slave, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.

1 Corinthians 12:11 - 'Spirit distributes'

"It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have."

Headquarters of the Church and Membership Roll Book
Christ is the only head of the Church. The head is not Peter, or any of the early Apostles, or 'church fathers.' No man, no organization, no city, no government, or anything worldly can ever be considered the headquarters or lead of the Church. Jesus is the only head of the Church. Christ did give authority and anointed some to the give-fold ministry shown in Ephesians 4:11. this is to minister to the Church until she reaches full maturity. These of the five-fold minsitry are men of God called to be leaders with divine authority. Much like Paul was 'called,' but God does not intend that any group of men on this earth be the head of the Body of Christ. I will re-state it again, no man or system has been ordained by God to control the Body of Christ, no man or system has been given authority to control the free will of another. Each man must give an account of himself to Christ, the head of the Church. The mediator between God and man is Christ Jesus. No system or man can take that place.
Just a slight tangent, it is definetely GOOD to be a part of a local congregation of believers. It is definetely GOOD to have your name in a membership book at a church, but do not let it be a burden to you. Do not stop there, your name being in the membership book at your local church does not mean it is in the book in Heaven. Just because you are attending a local church does not make you a part of the Body of Christ. The local churches atuhority is only authority for overseeing individuals growth and to help people grow closer to God. For a large entity can do far more than a single individual. I will warn you again, don't think for a moment that jus because you are a part of a local church and your church believes this doctrine or does this thing that you are saved. God's saving grace comes as a free gift, not because of membership to any particular earthly institution or because of association with certain men.

Ephesians 1:22

"And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and he gave him this authority for the benefit of the church. "

Ephesians 4:15

"Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. "

Ephesians 5:23

"For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church; he gave his life to be her Savior."

Colossians 1:18

"Christ is the head of the church, which is his body. He is the first of all who will rise from the dead, so he is first in everything. "

Colossians 2:19

"But they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For we are joined together in his body by his strong sinews, and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God."

1 Corinthians 11:3

"But there is one thing I want you to know: A man is responsible to Christ, a woman is responsible to her husband, and Christ is responsible to God. "

1 Timothy 2:5

"For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus"

As Long winded as this is I pray you gained some knowledge and revelation from what is contained, may the Lord always be speaking to you! - Amen.

Finishing Thoughts

2006-10-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

So I said I might post a little more about Symbolism, but I've decided to move on from that topic as I find the subject to not really be of much benefit, although if you'd like to heard me ponder the idea about how the 2D picture and 3D object relates to the Natural and Spiritual in our lives please do post and ask me to finish as I will if anyone is still interested in hearing more.

As far as the song I just posted, I would like to comment on the last line of the second verse. I think it sheds a bit of light onto what I was speaking about in Romans a couple weeks ago.

"For what I hate to do I do The evil deep inside
of me Has seized its opportunity I can't do
right for doing wrong My time will soon be gone"

So that's what the song stated, and it ends with saying My time will soon be gone. This is quite an important statement. That if we continue to live in bondage to sin, our time will soon be gone. I'm not trying to throw the fire and brimstone at you, but in all reality the consequence of living in sin is death, and it can happen faster than you want to think. As Paul stated in Romans Jesus has freed us from the bondage of sin that the song describes, the apathy of not wanting to do anything and live the good american life. If you find yourself living perfectly fine, and not caring about the things that other people are going through, if there is no compassion in you then it's time to evaluate where you are with God! Most definetely I say that because I used to think that Christianity was all about going to church on Sunday and being a "good Christian kid" not doing the bad stuff. But as I matured I have found that, it doesn't have anything to do with that really.. And again if you'd like to discuss more, post a question or IM me..

Hypocrite I Am

2006-10-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

Heard this song today on the radio by World Wide Message Tribe, made me thing.. So here are the lyrics, maybe it will make you think a little too.

Hypocrite - World Wide Message Tribe

What a hypocrite I am

Taking liberties I see People dying all
around me Full of pride and evil greed
I keep quiet in a world of need Casting
darkness on the earth Sin deceives me
like a curse The world is covered in
disease I sit back at ease

What a hypocrite I am

I'm sold as a slave to sin What a hideous state,
I keep giving in I do not understand what I do
For what I hate to do I do The evil deep inside
of me Has seized its opportunity I can't do
right for doing wrong My time will soon be gone

Symbolism

2006-10-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

So I've been reading the Weight of Glory by CS Lewis, and while I find a lot of what he says to be quite lofty and not particularly helpful to the Christian life, there is one line of logic that I find to be most useful. The line of logic I am referring to is Symbolism. Now CS Lewis describes it some very artistic language and so I will attempt to use more plain words to describe what he does, as I had a hard time understanding the message he was attempting to convey.

Often times we as Christians have a hard time when it comes to the Spiritual, because we experience almost exclusively the Natural world around us. We are driven primarily by our senses. And so when it comes to experiencing the Spiritual realm what often happens is we describe it through natural means. This can be equated with trying to Describe a three dimensional object, on paper with a drawing.

In the world the objcet has height, length and depth. But when we attempt to draw the object we must use what are called techniques to give the appearance of these attributes. Now, we know that a Drawn picture will never be more than 2D. So we must use the lines of the drawing to represent the 3D object we are attempting to relate.

Breaking for a moment, I must tell you a little about symbolism, now the drawing itself is not direct symbolism. Why you ask? Because it is governed by the same exact laws that the 3D object is. What I mean is that If we attempt to draw the sun, the color we use for light will be a reflection of the actual light. So it's not a direct representation, the drawing in fact contains a piece of the 3D object, but it is much more restricted, diminished. To get the appearance of depth when drawing a road we dont draw parallel lines, no the lines slowly converge to the horizons, but this technique is used to draw a triangle or other shapes. And so we see that when we are trying to represent 3D objects in a 2D picture we are only using already created shapes to determine different meanings for them, or to give the appearance of something different.
Now this is not true symbolism. True symbolism is When you have a written language vs an oral language. The two systems are completely different from each other. One is conveyed through letters or a visual medium, the other through sound.

Now going back to the 2D picture of the 3D object we can see that the 2D representation is not superior, for it must use many of the same ideas to describe something more complex. What I mean is this, the technique for drawing a road going into the horizon is the same as say drawing the sides of a cube, or drawing a triangle. You must use one expression to mean many. When drawing a 3D object you must represent the 3D with techniques that are used for multiple things. A line can have many different meanings in a 3D drawing dependant on where it is placed in relation to the other lines. I must consider then that the 3D object contains more than the 2d drawing, for the 3D object can be sensed with more than just a visual representation, it can most likely be felt, smelt and tasted in addition to being seen. So we see that the 2d drawing is a lesser medium that the 3d. For it contains less, tells us less, and we must use the same techniques to convey differing meanings.

So when we turn to the Natural and the Spiritual I find that, much like a 2D representation of a 3D object, the Natural is like the 2D drawing and the Spiritual is like the 3D object. For when I begin to describe the Spiritual I attempt to represent it with Natural things. Thus showing me that we neither have full knowledge of the Spiritual and also that much like the 3D object is higher than the 2D, the Spiritual is higher than the Natural. What I mean by this is that the 3D realm contains everything that the 2D does, the 2D is then a narrow form of the 3D, and by this I can see that all that is Natural is contained within the Spiritual. How does this help me? Well it lets me know that when I approach to understand the Spiritual things, to explain them I must use Natural things, it also lets me know that because I know Natural things, that I also am able to understand atleast, to some extent the Spiritual.

More thoughts coming soon, will finish up when I get the chance.

Misconceptions about Sin and the Law

2006-09-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

So I was talking with a friend about Romans 7, and it became very clear to us that in the past we may have thought Paul was talking strictly about Christians who struggle with sin in their lives, but I am persuaded that he is most definetely not speaking of Christians here. Let me entreat you.

Romans 7 (NLT)

"Now, dear brothers and sisters --you who are familiar with the law--don't you know that the law applies only to a person who is still living? Let me illustrate. When a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.
So this is the point: The law no longer holds you in its power, because you died to its power when you died with Christ on the cross. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, you can produce good fruit, that is, good deeds for God. When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced sinful deeds, resulting in death. But now we have been released from the law, for we died with Christ, and we are no longer captive to its power. Now we can really serve God, not in the old way by obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way, by the Spirit.
Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is evil? Of course not! The law is not sinful, but it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, "Do not covet." But sin took advantage of this law and aroused all kinds of forbidden desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. I felt fine when I did not understand what the law demanded. But when I learned the truth, I realized I had broken the law and was a sinner, doomed to die. So the good law, which was supposed to show me the way of life, instead gave me the death penalty. Sin took advantage of the law and fooled me; it took the good law and used it to make me guilty of death. But still, the law itself is holy and right and good. But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my doom? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God's good commandment for its own evil purposes. The law is good, then. The trouble is not with the law but with me, because I am sold into slavery, with sin as my master.
I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. But I can't help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things. I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't. When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. But if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it. It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. "

If you notice Paul's progression he is strictly talking about being under the law, he is talking about when he was a Jew he only knew the law and it only showed him where he was wrong. He is not speaking about being a Christian saved by God's grace and still having that war going on. Paul here is talking about being in bondage to the law! So many times I hear people quote Paul, even myself in the past, saying 'I struggle with sin but it's not really what I want to do, see Paul did it too.' As if showing it in the bible justifies our current actions. But wait, Paul isn't speaking from a saved person's point of view. He is speaking from someone who is still under the bondage of the law. He ends the chapter showing that Christ is the answer, Christ dealt with the sinful nature. That's why we are free from the bondage of the law and from ourselves, before we had no choice but to do evil, and that's the picture that Paul is showing. Before we were saved the natural outcome of our lives was sinful, but now that we are saved that should not be! And I know that he is talking this way because of how chapter 7 ends and how chapter 8 begins, just look here:

Romans 8:1-17 (NLT, emphasis added)

"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.) Since Christ lives within you, even though your body will die because of sin, your spirit is alive because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living within you.
So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family --calling him "Father, dear Father." For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we will share his treasures--for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering."

He says it quite plainly if you look into Chapter 8, saying that those who are freed no longer are controlled by the sinful nature, if the sinful nature controls your mind there is death, but if it is the spirit there is life! Doesn't that strike a huge comparison? If we continue to live in sin there is death and we should not be saying, "I don't want to do that but I do it anyway." If you do say these things then you need to re-evaluate your relationship! get serious before God and contemplate what He is asking of you, consider why it is you fall back into the same sin. As Paul says, we have absolutely no obligation to do what the sinful nature tells us we should do, instead we should have the mind of Christ which is described in Philippians 2. Paul says it so many different ways that if we keep living according to the flesh we will perish. He even states that those who are living by the sinful desires can not please God!

Listen to what Paul says in Ephesians 5:1-15 (NLT, emphasis added)

Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to him. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes--these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world. Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the terrible anger of God comes upon all those who disobey him. Don't participate in the things these people do. For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But when the light shines on them, it becomes clear how evil these things are. And where your light shines, it will expose their evil deeds. This is why it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light." So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise.

Prayer and a Poem

2006-09-20T00:12:00.000-07:00

So I was looking through my e-sword, which is some free bible software. And I did a quick search for all the the times, pray or prayer is mentioned in the bible. Now there's this cool function in e-sword that lets you check the original hebrew or greek word used, and the definition that is commonly associated with it. So here's some of the cool definitions for what to pray and prayer are:

These are some of the hebrew meanings
to burn incense in worship; to intercede or judge on behalf; to be weak before; reflection or devotion; a hymn; to ponder aloud; to inquire or beg; to await, observe or behold, especially to lean forward in anticipation; contemplation or an utterance; a whisper.

These are some of the greek meanings:
to worship or supplicate; to petition; to interview or confer with; invite into or comfort, especially to call near; investigate or interrogate and especially seeking or searching out.

So earlier this evening I was looking over this list and the Lord inspired me to write a poem that I'll share with you.

Close By
A wish for this and a wish for that.
But all He wants is you.

Simple devotion, another petition
A prayer offered in reflection
A little time to ponder on,
"Be still and know that I am God."
Selah

No cheapness, it's not so easy.
be weak before the One
Lean in and listen, for
the whisper of the Son.
Selah

Offer up your hymn.
Let your song resound about!
Offer these words as incense
Make music in your soul!
Selah

The Lord hears your music.
He awaits your secret words,
He holds a longing to speak,
the broken sores, begone.
Selah

Back to Quotes!

2006-09-17T23:15:00.000-07:00

"Security is not found in the absence of danger, but in the presence of Jesus"
- Jeanine (Eldridge, Captivating 206)

A House Divided

2006-09-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

So, maybe a couple months ago when the Home group was just starting I was sharing with a few different people about the sweet things the Lord was doing amidst us. And one of the things I mentioned was that we were seeing miracles happen, people getting healed and casting out of demons. One of the concerns that my friends brought up was, "Couldn't it be Satan trying to decieve you with these signs?"
But over the past few weeks as I've been reading through the Gospels I came back across the section where Jesus preached about the House being divided.

Matthew 12:22-37

"Then was brought unto him one possessed with a demon, blind and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the dumb man spake and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, Can this be the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons. And knowing their thoughts he said unto them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: and if Satan casteth out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you. Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come. Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by its fruit. Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

And I notice that Satan does not cast out satan, so if someone comes casting out demons and healing the sick and give God the glory they are obviously doing it by the power of the Holy Spirit and not by Satan. The second half of Jesus' words are about blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, and this is where things get a little "doctrinal" if you know what I mean. But I'd like to suggest that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is a reference to what the Pharisees were doing, and that is calling the Holy Spirit, Satan. Or saying that The Holy Spirit isn't actually doing the works but it's rather Satan's power that does them.

Thoughts on the Rapture: Part 2

2006-09-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

So the question was posed, "Doesn't the bible say that Jesus will return like a thief in the night? So doesn't posing him as coming back at the end of the tribulation leave no room for suprise?" (my words)

Well if we turn over to 1 Thess lets see what it says:
1 Thessalonions 5:1-6 (NLT)
"I really don't need to write to you about how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, like a thief in he night. When people are saying, "All is well; everything is peaceful and secure," then disaster will fall upon them suddenly as a woman's birth pains begin when her child is about to be born. And there will be no escape.
But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you wont be suprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. So be on your gaurd, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be sober."

So first we see that Jesus is never depicted as a thief, the analogy is that the day, the time will come as a thief. And the second thing we see the day compared to is Labor. And this is where I'd like to focus. See the coming of the day of the Lord is very often compared to a pregnant woman. And we know that pregnancy lasts 9 months. So it's no suprise to those who are watching the woman that sometime around 9 months the woman will go into labor. Will anyone know exactly what day or what hour she will go into labor? No! The people will not know what day she will have the baby until the day arrives, and likewise they will not know the hour until the hour arrives. So it is like the day of the Lord, when events start to happen we can liken this to a pregnant woman, we have a rough timeline of what's supposed to happen but we still do not know what hour and what day.

Okay lets start over, Pre-trib assumes that we will be raptured right at the beginning of the tribulation. The beginning of the tribulation has many prophecies regarding Israel that are not yet fulfilled, so logically we can say that until these prophecies come true the rapture can not take place. So either way the day is still unknown and yet requires prophecies to be fulfilled before either the beginning or the end will come about.

Mark 13:28-29 (NLT)
"Now, learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its leaves begin to sprout, you know without being told that summer is near. Just so, when you see the events I've described beginning to happen, you can be sure that his return is very near, right at the door."

Thoughts on the Rapture

2006-09-08T03:06:00.000-07:00

So I've been studying a bit through what the rapture is and reading through revelation and the other End Times prophecy and I'd like to share some of what I think about the subject. This is by no means an attack on any belief this is just a statement of what I have found. So I'll be up front and say it. I believe that the evidence in the bible especially the very words of Jesus clearly state that there is no rapture as we think of it. And in fact if there is a rapture as we think of it, it will come after the tribulation.

1Th 4:13-18 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

So a lot of people use this verse to say oh look rapture! But before we jump to that conclusion I'd like to examine why Paul wrote these things. If you read through 1 Thessalonians you find that Paul brings up this subject not to talk about the Rapture but to talk about the resurrection. He is trying to comfort the people that are still living reminding them that they will see "those who have fallen asleep."

The next thing we see is that the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God. Then the dead will rise first and then those who are still alive will be caught up in the clouds with the Lord.

The second verse that people turn to is

1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

And here we get another picture that is very related to the verse in 1 Thessalonians. It says at the last trumpet. So we now know that it is with the lsat trumpet that all of this is going to happen. It's not going to be the first, or one of the middle ones, it is going to be the Last trumpet sound. Then the dead will rise and we shall be changed!

Daniel is probably what is considered the key to end times prophecy. It is to him that God revealed many things. In Daniel 12 we see a few important things chronologically set up.

Dan 12:1-13 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Then I, Daniel, looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on the brink of the river on this side, and the other on the brink of the river on that side. And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my lord, what shall be the issue of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but they that are wise shall understand. And from the time that the continual burnt-offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand and two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest, and shalt stand in thy lot, at the end of the days.

We see the man say that it shall be for a time, times and half a time. Which is also translated as a reference to 3 and a half years. then the man states that when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered all these things shall be finished. So it seems by reference that during the 3 and a half year period of tribulation the Holy People, or God's Elect are still going to be present. And then we are introduced to what is called the abomination of desolation being set up in the temple, and Jesus talks a little bit about this. in the Gospels.

Mar 13:14-27 "But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. "

It says in verse 27 that after all of those things have happened after the tribulation after it all, the Son of Man will come on the clouds with great power and glory. And these words are repeated in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. It just seems very simpley that Christians are going to be around during the Tribulation. okay so that might seem harsh because God would never punish his followers. Ah that is correct, we are not appointed to wrath. So I wholeheartedly believe that we will be here during the tribulation but we will not fall under any of the Curses that are released as Revelation very vividly depicts. For Christ himself has already taken on our sins and stands in our place in front of God's wrath.

So maybe you have a question or are a little confused about something, Feel free to leave a comment! God Bless!

The Communion Table

2006-09-06T00:06:00.000-07:00

My buddy and I were discussing the topic of communion a couple days ago and how we felt that when we go into a contemporary church we feel like it's imposed on people as a time to get right with the Lord, a time for personal reflection, getting rid of sin in your life and generally a time to 'repent of your sins.' But as I read Romans, Psalms and the Gospels I'm confronted with quite a different picture of what communion is.

Luk 22:19-20 "And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to them, saying, 'This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.' And the cup in like manner after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you."

As Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Luke, we are to take communion in remembrance of him. It's about remembering Christ, what He has done for us in the past, what he is currently doing in our lives and also in remembrance of what has been prophesied over us. Because of this, communion is a joyous thing! It is a remembering of the life of Christ, not just his death but also how alive we are in Christ. And then we come to the communion table....

Psa 23:4-5 "Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup runneth over. "

In verse 5 the Psalmist says, "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." And here we have the heart of communion. Why do we need to continually remember what the Lord has done, is doing and will do for us? Because the enemy likes to steal our blessings and tell us the Lord isn't as good as He really is. The enemy is trying to take your focus off of God and get it on something else. He likes to distract you from what really matters, being in communion with God, that's what he did to Adam in the Garden, so really what satan is trying to do hasn't changed at all.

Also I'd like to make a note that communion is designed to be done with other believers, I don't mean to say that if you are alone you can't do it, yes indeed if you are being tempted or need to refocus taking communion is a great idea! What I'm trying to suggest is that when we take communion during a gathering of believers we shouldn't all go off and find our seperate corners and say our prayers to the Lord then come back together. In the Gospel of Luke there were 13 people passing bread around a table and drinking wine with each other. The Gospel of Luke even implies that Jesus broke bread before the meal and then passed the cup around after. This tells me that it wasn't some holy religious prayer time where we all go into a corner, making sure we are beating ourselves up about what our relationship is like with God. It's much more personal than that. It's about sharing with each other in the goodness of God.

I love what Romans 6 shows us.
Romans 6:3-11 (NLT)
"Or have you forgotten that when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised as he was. Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. And since we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also share his new life. We are sure of this because Christ rose from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. He died once to defeat sin, and now he lives for the glory of God. So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus."

And this is the first part of what we remember when we take communion, that we are now one with Christ and that as we are dead to sin, we are now able to live for the glory of God through Christ! wooo, I can do good now because I am no longer under sin!

Romans 6:12-23
"Do not let sin control the way you live, do not give in to its lustful desires. Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you are no longer subject to the law which enslaves you to sin. Instead, you are free by God's grace.
So since god's grace has set us free from the law, does this mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and recieve his approval. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you have obeyed with all your heart the new teaching God has given you. Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness.
I speak this way, using the illustration of slaves and masters, because it is easy to understand. Before, you let yourselves be slaves of impurity and lawlessness. Now you must choose to be slaves of righteousness so that you will become holy.
In those days, when you were slaves of sin, you weren't concerned with doing what was right. And what was the result? It was not good, since now you are ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."

Taking these versus back to communion; I see how it is a constant battle between remembering what the Lord has declared in my life and what the devil try's telling me. And the more I remember what the Lord is doing in my life, what he has already done and what he is going to do, the less I truly desire to give in to my flesh. The more I am in communion with God, the more I realise that the devil has no power over me any longer, and the more I realise just how Good and right and true God is. So when getting tempted one of the most powerful things I can do is declare what the Lord has done, or enter into a time of remembrance. A time of communion. Communion doesn't always have to be a taking of the 'elements' and quite seriously you can do it with slice of bread and water. It doesn't matter. The points is where you are putting your heart and your mind before the Lord. In remembrance of Jesus.

Questions or Comments feel free to contact me anytime, phone, email, or instant message! Check my profile for contact info :)

Back to Hebrews

2006-09-05T14:11:00.000-07:00

So I was reading a little bit in Hebrews and in Exodus and this happened to tickle my fancy..

Exodus 19:5-6
"Now therefore, if you indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."

So Moses was on Mount Sinai and God was telling Moses what he desired to speak to Israel. And it's really cool because this is when we see God declare Israel as a Kingdom. And he doesn't call them a kingdom of fierce warriors, he calls them a kingdom of priests.
As christians we know that we have indeed been adopted into this Kingdom of Priests. It is written throughout the new testament that we are High Priests. but I have to say one of the coolest things I turned to after reading Exodus was this passage in Hebrews.

Hebrews 12:18-24
"For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. For they could not endure what was commanded 'And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.' And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, 'I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.'
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registreed in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Defining A Christian

2006-08-31T22:54:00.000-07:00

alright a buddy of mine found this from Graham Cooke's website and I think it pretty accurately describes the mindset that I have been discussing in many of my earlier posts. It's about being intimate with Jesus and having the Mind of Christ and I love how this little outline or mission statement or whatever you'd like to call it fits with that.

The original link for this is The Mission in Vacaville, California - About Us

Decisions That Define Us

Here at The Mission, weve made some decisions that clarify our goals as a church, and they are listed below.

It has been humbling to learn that these declarations are resonating with leaders around the globe, many of whom have called to ask for permission to use them in their own churches. Since we believe these determinations were born of the Spirit, we are happy to see them applied in the Kingdom.

Please note, however, that we are deeply concerned that you understand their context:
These decisions are not and never were a reaction to anything but the state of our hearts and the reality in our church. They are in absolutely no way a criticism of any church or denominational movement. Please dont misuse these decisions as weapons towards others. We are in this battle for high ground together: one Church, one Bride, and one Body.

In Ephesians 3:19, Paul implores us to increase our perception of Gods love, letting it expand from head knowledge to actual experience. Those two levels also describe our process of commitment to these decisions. We would probably have said they were true from the beginning of our ministry. Now, however, they are points of contention, foundational truths without which we are not willing to live; a journey, not a destination.
In II Samuel 6, as David leads the return of the Ark of the Covenant, there is both celebration and sacrifice; and so it is with these commitments. As we are heeding the ever-increasing call to clear a path for the Manifest Presence and Glory of God, these decisions have each taken a piece out of our hearts and livesand given us something priceless in return.

These are not arrogant proclamations of our accomplishments. We continue to comprehend the high cost and great value of each declaration of purpose.
So, then, here are The Decisions Weve Made&

We have decided that teaching the Gospel without demonstrating the gospel is not enough. Good preaching, good doctrine, and being good people is not enough.
We have decided that having a good church club is not enough, good fellowship is not enough, and just being a member of that club is not enough.
We have decided that having good Bible studies is good, but not good enough, that just making it to heaven is not our goal, and that knowing about God without truly knowing and experiencing God is meaningless.
We have decided that having good programs is not enough; that change without transformation is intolerable, and that staying the same is not an option.
We have decided that gifting without character is futile.
We have decided that singing songs without worshiping is hallow and having meetings without God showing up is pointless.
We have decided that having faith without works is not enough and having works without love is not acceptable - that our function comes out of our relationship first with the Father and second with each other.
We have decided that reading about the book of Acts without living the book of Acts is unthinkable.
We have decided that confident faith is good and bold faith is better.
We have decided that hearing about the Holy Spirit without experiencing Him is silly, that believing in His presence without seeing It manifested in signs and wonders is hypocrisy, that believing in healing without seeing people healed is absurd, and that believing in deliverance without people being delivered is absolutely ridiculous.
We have decided to be Holy Spirit filled, Holy Spirit led, and Holy Spirit empowered - anything less doesn't work for us.
We have decided to be the ones telling the stories of God's power - not the ones hearing about them.
We have decided that living saved, but not supernatural is living below our privilege and short of what Christ died for.
We have decided that we are a battle ship not a cruise ship, an army, not an audience; Special forces not spectators, missionaries not club members.
We have decided to value both pioneers and settlers - pioneers to expand our territory and settlers to build on those territories - but we are not squatters - people who take up space others have fought for without improving it.
We have decided to be infectious instead of innocuous, contagious instead of quarantined, deadly instead of benign.
We have decided to be radical lovers and outrageous givers.
We have decided that we are a mission station and not a museum

Therefore:

1. We honor the past - we don't live in it.

2. We live in the present with our eyes on the future.

3. We see past events - successes and failures - as stepping-stones not stop signs.

4. We pursue learning in order to be transformed, not learning in order to know.

5. We are people of engagement not observation.

6. We focus on what could be, not on what is or has been.

7. We are not limited to the four walls of this building. Our influence is not restricted by location - Not even the nations are out of bounds.

8. We are more concerned about how many we send out into the world than how many we convince to come into the building. This building is meant to be filled and it will be - but it will not be the measure of who we are or the measure of our effectiveness.

9. We raise up world changers - not tour guides. We train commandos, not committees.

10. We are a people of our destiny, not of our history.

We have decided that it is better to fail while reaching for the impossible that God has planned for us than succeed settling for less.
We have decided that nothing short of His Kingdom come, His will be done in our world as it is in Heaven will satisfy.
We have decided that we will not be satisfied until our world freaks out and cries out "Those who have turned the world upside down have come here too."

These are some of the decisions that define who we are
as a community and how we live our lives

These decisions are not destinations - but rather journeys - journeys along an ancient path - we have not found some new way - but rather rediscovered the path as old as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The same path followed by Moses, Joshua and Caleb - Paul, John, Peter.

The path followed by the first century church - a church that revolutionized the culture of the first century and beyond.

It is a path that will impact the world we live in today. It is a path of Bold Faith - believing that what God says is really true and acting on it; Outrageous Generosity - giving our life away in order to demonstrate His Kingdom; Radical Love - loving God with everything in us and our neighbor as ourselves.

It is a path of liberty, freedom, and healing.
On this path you find significance, purpose, and destiny.

This is a path less traveled - however
- it is not a path only available to a select few - but to whosoever will - may come.

It is for people of every nation, tribe and tongue -for those in any occupation or vocation.

No matter where you are in your life journey

- there is room on this path for you

Philippians 4

2006-08-24T01:23:00.000-07:00

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His pease will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." - Phil 4:6-7
The well known words of Paul to not worry about anything. I guess this next section really goes along with what I was pondering last night. Praying before doing things.. Submitting them to the Lord. I keep thinking of Hebrews 12:1-2 and about fixing my eyes on Jesus. Staying focused on him..

Philippians 4:8 says it like this, "And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of Praise."

And I'm reminded again that it is about focusing on Jesus and God's goodness. Instead of getting frustrated over things like money.

Later on in verse 12 Paul explains to us that he has learned how to survive in situations where he has no money and in situations where he has an abundance. One of the teachings I hear going through the church is that if you are obedient the Lord will provide your monetary needs. A lot of times people think that means that the Lord will provide for them for where they are at. In a nice comfortable state. I don't think that's what Paul is talking about at all. The thing that Paul is trying to get at is dependance on the Lord. He states "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And he says this just after he tells us that he has been through times of little and much. I believe Paul is painting quite a picture of how we are to be dependant on the Lord. He tells us to fix our thoughts on the good things, to not worry about things..
I understand that as Paul went through those difficult times it made him rely on the Lord more, he began to understand just how much Christ strengthen's him, he began to understand the secret of living. And that is to live your life as Jesus did.

A Little Prayer Didn't Hurt Anybody

2006-08-23T02:20:00.001-07:00

I was pondering about keeping my focus on the Lord all throughout the day. I was once read in a book about how easily it is for the mind to get distracted and so the author used to put visual signs around him to remind him of basic truths, such as Jesus is Lord, or God exists. Simply putting his mind back in a place of prayer, a place of remembering who the Lord is. There are tons of distractions around us, especially in America where the whole society is based around getting your attention and feeding you some kind of information that's most likely not even worth hearing. So it's very easy to get distracted during the day, and to lose focus on what is really going on in the spirit.
As I was talking with the Lord he showed me that one of the things I could do to continue glorifying Him throughout my whole day was simply to start each task with first praying to Him about it. Instead of moving straight into the action I first stop and ask the Lord to bless the time I'm about to use. That's simple enough to attempt doing, but honestly quite hard to begin practicing. The first thing that I logically notice is that if I begin doing this then I am inviting God to be a part of everything I do, and if I'm inviting God everywhere in my life, then sin wont be as gray, it wont be a progression. I will be forcing myself to either allow God in by praying, or purposefully ignore Him and choose sin, because I have in my mind made myself conscience to the fact that God is going to be apart of everything I do.
All of this goes back to what I've been talking about in my previous posts about changing my mind. It goes back to having the mind of Christ. Because as I invite God into my actions through prayer, I change my mind about how I am doing the task. Instead of attempting it completely on my own strength, I will be seeking God out first. If I truly believe Jesus to be Lord of my life, then I ought to consider Him as Lord by doing this. It's about seeking God more and more, about desiring more with my relationship with Him. I know He has many more things stored up for me, and as Philippians 3:12 says it's about pressing on for what the Lord wants in my life, and I do this by focusing on Christ as Hebrews 12 tells me. Matthew 6:33 says it this way, "But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Now as I read through Philippians 3:18-19 and how it shows Paul weeping for those who boast in shameful things I realise that if I don't put the Lord first and pray before I do anything it is easy for me to be distracted by lust of the world. And I become more at risk to the tricks of the devil and the lust of this world. I have a tendency to settle for the not best, or the things of this world because they are now, and I can see them. They don't really require much faith. But again Philippians tells me that If I am living only for myself and for my enjoyment than I am an enemy of the cross, also in 1 John 2 as I quoted in my last post tells me to "stop loving this evil world and all that it offers me for when I love this world I it shows that I do not have the love of the father in me."
And that is exactly what I am attempting to combat. And I am reminded that the combat I do with the enemy is a defensive one, it is a battle to stay focused on Jesus and what he has done for me that I can emulate Him, and love others the way He did. I am constantly reminded of Psalm 23:5a "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;" If the table is before my enemies how much more must I pray to the Lord before I even attempt to do anything, keeping my focus on the Lord as Hebrews 12:1-2 says is so very important.

Count it Garbage

2006-08-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

While discussing Philippians 3 last night, the Lord turned the teaching towards giving up our old lives at one point. We took a nice long look at verses 3-9, where Paul says,

"For we who worship God in the Spirit are the only ones who are truly circumcised. We put no confidence in human effort. Instead, we boast about what Christ Jesus has done for us.
Yet I could have confidence in myself if anyone could. If others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! For I was circumcised when I was eight days old, having been born into a pure-blooded Jewish family that is a branch of the tribe of Benjamin. So I am a real Jew if there ever was one! What's more, I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. And zealous? Yes, in fact, I harshly persecuted the church. And I obeyed the Jewish law so carefully that I was never accused of any fault.
I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. I no longer count my own goodness or my ability to obey God's law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right depends on faith."

Paul here is trying to paint a picture that is Black and white. He's trying to show us that when you accept Christ you change your mind about everything else. The old life you used to have was in disunion with God. And Paul is trying to show that going back to that is madness. Going back to not knowing Christ's redemptive work is insanity. He has experienced the saving redemption of the Cross and there isn't anywhere else to turn to. He's trying to show us that it's not even about the Law. Anyone can do the Law even if they aren't saved. They can have the will to stop doing the sins of the flesh, but that doesn't mean they are saved. Being saved doesn't mean that you aren't sinning. Being saved means that you love people. Jesus isn't just another addition to your faith. I had a teacher once do it in a math equation like this.
Jesus + anything = Nothing
Jesus + nothing = Everything

Jesus says in Matthew 6:24
"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

And it's just like that equation. You can't just add God to your faith. He requires and demands your whole life. God wants all of us. He wants us to realise that everything else besides him is worthless because it just doesn't fill us up. And Paul is trying to tell us that all that other stuff is garbage, not because it's inherently wrong to do, the law isn't bad, it's made to be kept. But Paul counts it garbage because it has no saving power, it has no way to make him right before God. It has no way to bring him into Union with God! And this picture of God's saving power gets more and more black and white as we look at it.

1 John 2:15-17 says
"Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever."

It's so Black and White. You either serve the world or you serve God. And the common Christian might think that serving God means I give up the things of the world, but what I'm trying to show you is that it's not about Law, or giving things up. Salvation is not about giving up the things of the world and conforming to a Law. And it's not about just adding Jesus onto what you already have, or just confessing I believe Jesus. It's about coming into a relationship with Jesus Christ. That means you change your mind, or repent of what is really of value. Jesus gave a new commandment, to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind soul and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. That is what relationship is about, love. And the sacrifice that Jesus made on the Cross demands our lives as a response. He gave everything to save us and the only response we can give back is to give God our lives.

Suffering

2006-08-17T16:06:00.000-07:00

I love Philippians 3, it really hits home. Paul begins it by saying "Whatever happens dear brothers, may the Lord give you joy. I never get tired of telling you this. I am doing this for your own good."

And right there I get this sweet sense of encouragement. Whatever happens; take joy. Paul has just finished talking about giving up yourself and dieing to yourself, and he follows it up with telling us to take joy in all things.

In verses 2-3 we see Paul show us what true circumcision is. He says
"Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the real circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh-- "

and here we begin to see what Paul is getting at.. He is starting to tell us about why we should not put our faith in the works of the flesh for salvation. He continues
"though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. "

So Paul is contrasting the works of the flesh to having faith in Christ. and he says that he counts his previous life all as Loss. All the works of the Law, all the things he attempted to get close to God by doing he counts at Loss. And while I think on this I can only think of a parallel to my own life. I can see Paul saying if he was alive today something like this:
I could have confidence in my-self. I grew up in a Christian home, I went to church twice every week. I read my bible everyday. I looked down on all those who didn't go to church or had the same beliefs as me. I thought I had the right way of thinking about life.
It seems so similar what Paul is talking about and how I understood Christianity before. But now I know it's not about what I do for God, it's about having Faith in the redemptive work of Christ raising from the Dead. By that I am saved, yet it still remains that sometimes I try and revert to that old style of living. I continually have to change my mind about what I'm living for. Or in better terms I continually have to repent about what I'm living for. sometimes I go back to thinking God accepts me because I'm doing all this stuff for Him. I'm continually reminded of Matthew 13:44-46
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. "
That is what Paul is talking about when he counts it all Loss. He is saying he would trade all the things of the former life for the great Pearl of the Gospel. He literally gave up his old life to follow Christ.

The last thing Paul says here is so that he can know what the redemptive power of Christ is, and so that he can share in his sufferings and share in his death and that by any means he can attain the resurrection of the dead. Paul is showing us that because of Faith, we can know Christ and experience the power of the resurrection. What Paul is talking about here is intimacy. He's talking about being close with Christ. He is saying as we suffer for Christ we can know more and more the redemptive power that raised Him from the dead. That is why we can take joy in sufferings, that's why earlier in Philippians Paul counts it joy and considers it a priveledge to suffer for Christ.

1 Peter 5:8-11 describes the redemptive power like this:
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. "