In this post, it isn't my objective to offend anyone with the comparison that I am about to make, but it is my hope to raise awareness of subject that every believer should take to heart.
The comparison is in no way meant to diminish the trauma or anguish one has experienced.
Reader discretion is advised.
-
I'm sitting here and I am trying to think of how to say what I feel like I need to say. I have the message in mind but it isn't something that I can say carelessly. What I really want is for believers to see is the gravity of their actions of the eternal spectrum, and not take it lightly.
If you know me you know that evangelism and being there for people is a significant part of my life. In the life of the believer we are called to share our faith. We are called to let people know the good news that there is redemption from sin and we can have new life, abundantly.
I was talking to a friend of mine recently about the subject of faith. He was telling me about a guy at his job who was so... lets say zealous, to get other people to know about his faith that he wouldn't let up on it. He would push it on people. He wouldn't listen to what they had to say because as they were speaking he was too busy trying to talk over them in order to push his faith harder upon them.
I see this as very wrong.
In a lot of churches we have this mentality that we have to go out and save the world. We pride ourselves on what we do for the kingdom. "I went out to the street corner with a bull horn and yelled a message to 500 people about how evil they are and how they are going to hell, then 2 came up our of fear and wanted to know how to escape it."
The kingdom of God is built upon relationships.
Take a moment and think about this comparison.
The first command given to man is to be fruitful and multiply. God tells Adam to go "have relations" with his wife. This is a good and righteous thing.
We know that when two people are married, That there is that intimacy. There is that relationship. After they have gotten to know each other and spent time together, THEN they into a covenant, that they both have agreed to.
What is the opposite of this?
Rape. It's defined as :
"the unlawful compelling of a person through physical force or duress to have sexual intercourse."
Rape is such an ugly word, with such a horrible definition, that I almost didn't write this post. However I am compelled for the sake of the kingdom to continue.
You may be asking what rape has to do with evangelism and I am working to make that point.
AS you go out to share your faith, keep in mind that you have a relationship with God. Through his seeking you, you sought him, you connected and you accepted him, thus you walk together.
He didn't force himself on anyone.
when you are sharing your faith, your heart needs to be treating the event like a courtship. Communicating together. Listening to each other. Facing burdens together. Celebrating together. In this action you will show who ever you are ministering to, what the Savior is in you. You show them love. You show them love by showing them how to love. Just as God did you. The goal is to share the relationship you have with God, with them, so that they might know the joy and peace of God in their life.
If you goal is anything other than that... Don't even open your mouth.
If we are going out to "evangelize" to make us feel good. TO make us feel like we are bring something to the kingdom. So that we may boast that we saved someone. That we led them to Christ, ... then how much of what we know of the Gospel is really based off of our selfishness instead of serving GOD?
So often we go out and we run into a person, or maybe we have known them for years, and we push Jesus on them. We tell them how wrong their life is, without ever knowing them. We tell them how filthy we they are, by our actions. instead of looking at them like people, we objectify them as a means for our own personal gratification. We force our beliefs on them, and in doing this we do not giving a good demonstration of God.Check your heart before you do anything "for" God. Look in Matt 7:21-23
Not
everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
Where does that leave the recipient? It leaves them hurt, and broken. Feeling even more distant from God. It leaves them feeling angry. They didn't see His compassion. They only saw your thirst to appear righteous.
It's like rape.
God is big enough to help some people get past it. Sometimes some people heal and forgive.
but they all remember how they felt. How you made them feel.
If you want to share the word of God with someone, and they don't want it, then shut up. No means no. Do not push.
Pray, and serve them. Be an example of righteous living. Deal with them with compassion and mercy. Be gracious toward them. You aren't going to change their mind. Only God can change their heart. Your job is to be obedient.
When you learn to serve, you learn to be less selfish. When you serve, people listen. People listen because they can see you care. When people know that you care more than anything, then they will be open to hearing what you have to say.
I write all this in wisdom, having failed at this so many times. I write this in hopes that you can learn from my failures. That you may examine your heart and how you approach people.
Even if you have a genuine love for people, make sure you aren't going about the wrong way.
The wrong way for the right reasons can still be destructive. Pray about it first. Pray pray pray.
remember when the disciples were fishing, doing everything in their power to catch something, anything... and not getting anywhere. It wasn't until they listened to the Messiah and followed what he instructed that they cast their nets on the other side and pulled up the haul.
There isn't anything wrong with sharing faith. We must share our faith in order to grow. We just have got to be sure that when we initiate, they are open to receive it.
Pray then do.
More God, less you.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Absolutely
Honesty is something that I try for in my life. I don't know about you, but I hate being lied to. I'll take the ugly truth over a comforting lie 98 percent of the time. If the ugly truth is something I should change, not telling me isn't going to help. I see things in black in white in that regard.
I see something as either true or false. I believe in an absolute in that regard.
I was at a bible study the other day and I got into a discussion with a guy and the topic trailed into the subject of sin ( imagine that at a bible study). The discussion got a little spirited. to the point where It was two notches below arguing, and that was the last place I wanted to be.
The point of contention was the absoluteness of sin. I believe that something is either a sin, or it is not. The person I was discussing the subject with stated that he believed that sin is relative to the individual. Now I fully admit that I may not have been fully understanding the gentleman, as he would speak, and as I tried, I would get three words in before he would reject my opinion without allowing me to clarify the complexity of my point, interjecting with more emphasis on his belief.
Don't get me wrong, though I barely know this guy I can very much see the love and generosity of God flowing through him, but I strongly disagreed with him on that point ( if that was his point, I really might not have understood)
I was talking with another guy about that encounter and I was asking him to relay a message of my respect and love for the individual to him, so he knew that even though we disagree, I value our new friendship. I explained the situation and the points I am about to make, and as I did I wondered if I perhaps, My communication was failing. He asked what does it matter if sin is subjective?
I was about to fully explain my point on why I think it does matter when the guy said its all irrelevant, and then was distracted by another guy in the church. I didn't press the matter any further because I could kinda tell that he didn't really want to talk about it, and I am learning when to speak and when not to ( a post that is coming soon enough on its own)
How do we define sin?
How is sin defined?
I wrote the first question and realized that the second is more important. If you look closely you will see that they are not the same question. One is about what I think something is, and the other is what is the truth regardless of my perceptions.
The first question is How do we define sin?
My interpretation is simple. There is really only one sin. Just one. That is it.IT isn't 613, or 10 or even just 2.... There is really only one sin, by what I see. It is the same sin that was in the garden. It is the same sin we struggle together with today and yesterday and every day of our lives.
That sin, is disobedience to What God has said.
How is sin defined?
*Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. -1john 3:4
All unrighteousness is sin - 1john:5:17Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin - James 4:17
and so on and so on.
Now, this may seem pointless. This may seem like it doesn't matter and I might be splitting hairs when it comes to definition. Yet, I feel the need to explore it with context so I can better grasp the truth.
Let's take drinking for an example. A lot of believers would say that drinking is a sin. They would read the passages on not being drunk and the cautions of over indulgence of wine or strong drink and state that it is a sin to drink.
But, there are passages in the bible that say that there is nothing wrong with drinking in of itself, and a few places where it recommends drinking. So, is drinking a sin or isn't it?
IF we were to say that it is a sin, then long story short, we are saying that the Messiah is a sinner because he admits that he drank ( luke 7:34)... and if we are saying that he is a sinner, then that means by definition that he isn't the messiah.
Now what about people in recovery? People who know the practice of drunkeness and God has told them that they shouldn't drink... Then doesn't that make drinking a sin?
I kinda still have to say no. It isn't the drinking that is the problem, the sin is the disobedience of what God has said. God tells you not to drink, don't drink. If you did, you would be defying what God has told you. The sin. The one sin.
Let's take a more ambiguous approach. Cheese cake. There is nothing in the bible either for or against cheesecake ( I don't think... I honestly haven't done the exploratory research on that one ... I have biblical support for cake, but cheesecake is really specific. Also it's more of a pie... what am I talking about, this is completely detracting from my point... Man I want some cheesecake.) So There isn't (for arguments sake) anything in the bible that says don't eat cheese cake. You going about your life eating away and then God tells you specifically not to do this.
Lets say you do it anyway. Was it the food in your face that is the sin? No. It was the defiance that came out of your heart, that defied what God says. That is the sin.
I think the Master backs me up on this.
**After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.
He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality,envy, slander,pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” -Mark 7
Why did he say those things were wrong?
Because God said not to do them.
That passage in Mark where he said this stuff... He was rebuking people. Why?
For rejecting what God had said.
the original temptation, and the original sin is this :
"...Did God really say...?"
SO you may still be asking what the point is. Who cares about the relativity of sin.
The answer is, we should.
Because we are sinners, we need a Savior.
IF sin was some relative thing that could be shrugged off by a simple definition change..
that kinda really nullifies the Sacrifice on the cross.
...because who among us wouldn't just stand up and say " yeah, none of that stuff I did, is a sin to me.So... that being said... I'm kinda perfect."
Truth is truth if we know it or not.
Thank GOD that he gives us grace as we learn it.
No, really...
Thank God he gives us grace and gives us time to learn and grow, he gives us time to clean our hearts out so we can hear what he is saying. He gives us grace, and mercy, waiting for us to pick up his word and read what he has said.
* If sin is the transgression of the law of God, we may want to know what that is. Something to think about
** I deleted the part in parenthesis from that text that states "and thus Jesus declares all foods clean" because the reason that is in parenthesis is because that isn't scripture. It was added to the text. It can be misleading, because leaving it in there would look like Jesus was saying that everything is food, and that would be contradictory to what God said in Leviticus 11. So, all food is clean but not all things are food. that is a Whole other post though.
I see something as either true or false. I believe in an absolute in that regard.
I was at a bible study the other day and I got into a discussion with a guy and the topic trailed into the subject of sin ( imagine that at a bible study). The discussion got a little spirited. to the point where It was two notches below arguing, and that was the last place I wanted to be.
The point of contention was the absoluteness of sin. I believe that something is either a sin, or it is not. The person I was discussing the subject with stated that he believed that sin is relative to the individual. Now I fully admit that I may not have been fully understanding the gentleman, as he would speak, and as I tried, I would get three words in before he would reject my opinion without allowing me to clarify the complexity of my point, interjecting with more emphasis on his belief.
Don't get me wrong, though I barely know this guy I can very much see the love and generosity of God flowing through him, but I strongly disagreed with him on that point ( if that was his point, I really might not have understood)
I was talking with another guy about that encounter and I was asking him to relay a message of my respect and love for the individual to him, so he knew that even though we disagree, I value our new friendship. I explained the situation and the points I am about to make, and as I did I wondered if I perhaps, My communication was failing. He asked what does it matter if sin is subjective?
I was about to fully explain my point on why I think it does matter when the guy said its all irrelevant, and then was distracted by another guy in the church. I didn't press the matter any further because I could kinda tell that he didn't really want to talk about it, and I am learning when to speak and when not to ( a post that is coming soon enough on its own)
How do we define sin?
How is sin defined?
I wrote the first question and realized that the second is more important. If you look closely you will see that they are not the same question. One is about what I think something is, and the other is what is the truth regardless of my perceptions.
The first question is How do we define sin?
My interpretation is simple. There is really only one sin. Just one. That is it.IT isn't 613, or 10 or even just 2.... There is really only one sin, by what I see. It is the same sin that was in the garden. It is the same sin we struggle together with today and yesterday and every day of our lives.
That sin, is disobedience to What God has said.
How is sin defined?
*Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. -1john 3:4
All unrighteousness is sin - 1john:5:17Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin - James 4:17
and so on and so on.
Now, this may seem pointless. This may seem like it doesn't matter and I might be splitting hairs when it comes to definition. Yet, I feel the need to explore it with context so I can better grasp the truth.
Let's take drinking for an example. A lot of believers would say that drinking is a sin. They would read the passages on not being drunk and the cautions of over indulgence of wine or strong drink and state that it is a sin to drink.
But, there are passages in the bible that say that there is nothing wrong with drinking in of itself, and a few places where it recommends drinking. So, is drinking a sin or isn't it?
IF we were to say that it is a sin, then long story short, we are saying that the Messiah is a sinner because he admits that he drank ( luke 7:34)... and if we are saying that he is a sinner, then that means by definition that he isn't the messiah.
Now what about people in recovery? People who know the practice of drunkeness and God has told them that they shouldn't drink... Then doesn't that make drinking a sin?
I kinda still have to say no. It isn't the drinking that is the problem, the sin is the disobedience of what God has said. God tells you not to drink, don't drink. If you did, you would be defying what God has told you. The sin. The one sin.
Let's take a more ambiguous approach. Cheese cake. There is nothing in the bible either for or against cheesecake ( I don't think... I honestly haven't done the exploratory research on that one ... I have biblical support for cake, but cheesecake is really specific. Also it's more of a pie... what am I talking about, this is completely detracting from my point... Man I want some cheesecake.) So There isn't (for arguments sake) anything in the bible that says don't eat cheese cake. You going about your life eating away and then God tells you specifically not to do this.
Lets say you do it anyway. Was it the food in your face that is the sin? No. It was the defiance that came out of your heart, that defied what God says. That is the sin.
I think the Master backs me up on this.
**After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.
He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality,envy, slander,pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” -Mark 7
Why did he say those things were wrong?
Because God said not to do them.
That passage in Mark where he said this stuff... He was rebuking people. Why?
For rejecting what God had said.
the original temptation, and the original sin is this :
"...Did God really say...?"
SO you may still be asking what the point is. Who cares about the relativity of sin.
The answer is, we should.
Because we are sinners, we need a Savior.
IF sin was some relative thing that could be shrugged off by a simple definition change..
that kinda really nullifies the Sacrifice on the cross.
...because who among us wouldn't just stand up and say " yeah, none of that stuff I did, is a sin to me.So... that being said... I'm kinda perfect."
Truth is truth if we know it or not.
Thank GOD that he gives us grace as we learn it.
No, really...
Thank God he gives us grace and gives us time to learn and grow, he gives us time to clean our hearts out so we can hear what he is saying. He gives us grace, and mercy, waiting for us to pick up his word and read what he has said.
* If sin is the transgression of the law of God, we may want to know what that is. Something to think about
** I deleted the part in parenthesis from that text that states "and thus Jesus declares all foods clean" because the reason that is in parenthesis is because that isn't scripture. It was added to the text. It can be misleading, because leaving it in there would look like Jesus was saying that everything is food, and that would be contradictory to what God said in Leviticus 11. So, all food is clean but not all things are food. that is a Whole other post though.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Glass.
I was stumbling or tumbling or something around the internet the other day when I came across a page that was all about advice for life.
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
- 1 john 1:8-10
So.... If we are going along and pretending that we never stumble or that we have it all together all the time, then we are probably not being truthful. IF we aren't honest about our weakness we probably aren't a beacon of humility.
What does this lack of transparency produce?
An illusion. A deception.
What would being open about things give?
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God". - 2 cor. 1:3-4
Having been truly weak we are more compassionate to the weak are we not?
Having been recipients of unmerited favor, shouldn't we be more gracious to others?
So when we are honest and say " hey, I'm going through something... Or I've gone through something, we are demonstrating honesty and God prepares us to help comfort others.
When we deny this, we don't represent a people that meet the hurts or understands how the world is. No, we come across as disingenuous sales people pushing a product. We come across as foreign aliens that do not experience the sufferings of lesser mortals.
I don't want to be that .
I don't want to be someone that isn't honest.
I don't want to be someone that refuses to relate to people.
I mean, after all, where would we be if the Savior couldn't relate to us.
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
- 1 john 1:8-10
So.... If we are going along and pretending that we never stumble or that we have it all together all the time, then we are probably not being truthful. IF we aren't honest about our weakness we probably aren't a beacon of humility.
What does this lack of transparency produce?
An illusion. A deception.
What would being open about things give?
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God". - 2 cor. 1:3-4
Having been truly weak we are more compassionate to the weak are we not?
Having been recipients of unmerited favor, shouldn't we be more gracious to others?
So when we are honest and say " hey, I'm going through something... Or I've gone through something, we are demonstrating honesty and God prepares us to help comfort others.
When we deny this, we don't represent a people that meet the hurts or understands how the world is. No, we come across as disingenuous sales people pushing a product. We come across as foreign aliens that do not experience the sufferings of lesser mortals.
I don't want to be that .
I don't want to be someone that isn't honest.
I don't want to be someone that refuses to relate to people.
I mean, after all, where would we be if the Savior couldn't relate to us.
Friday, March 9, 2012
The Silence.
Tonight I sat here in this very spot pouring out my words from my heart into my other private blog, and it felt far more like scraping the burnt off of toast than it did a fluid flow of thoughts.
I wrote a poem that spoke of struggle and Samson making mention of the most terrifying verse in scripture. Judges 16:20
20 She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him
I cant think of anything worse than that thought right there. Not knowing that the LORD had departed from him. I went to a men's bible study and we were talking about courage and being a courageous man of God. Much of the material text is based out of Joshua, and tonight was no exception. Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
The thing that drew me to God in the first place wasn't redemption of sin, which I am grateful for. It wasn't The gift of compassion or the promise that the Holy Spirit would reside in me, which I cherish. It wasn't the testament of his mercy which I wouldn't have survived without...
No, it was this promise given to Joshua in 1:5
No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you
That God would never leave or forsake me.
I believe that God doesn't change, and that he is the same yesterday today and forever, nor does he go against his word. I've been at war with this. I have fought my thoughts back and forth because I have wanted to be Joshua but often I feel like Samson. When I screw up I feel like God is distant and I try to figure out where I left him. But Joshua... HE keeps God at the forefront of his focus and follows him in battle. I want to be this man in the fluid flesh of the blood in my heart, yet... I find that I am often Samson. These two men are different. Look at this example:
Joshua's warning in chapter 23:
8 But you are to cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day. 9 For the LORD has driven out great and strong nations from before you; and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day. 10 One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, just as He ]promised you. 11 So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God.
12 For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, 13 know with certainty that the LORD your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you
I'm pretty sure that was a prophecy for Samson,
18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all that is in his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. 19 She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his hair. Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him. 20 She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. 21 Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison. 22 However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it was shaved off.
Now Samson and God reconciled as Samson died...
but I don't want to be that guy. I don't want to realize that I screwed up and then die. True that is one heck of a way to go out, but I want to be the guy that never let God out of my sight to begin with. I want to be that guy... but I'm not.
My heart gets crusty. My eyes go blind. I wonder where God has gone... and why he left.
I know he didn't really leave, but he goes silent. I hate that part. Why does he do it?
I believe that God goes quiet to test our hearts to see if we will follow his word.
That is spoken of a few times in Judges 3 and other places.
I know I fail at this all the time. God goes quiet and I turn to sin. He tests my heart and my heart is wicked. My spirit gets so disappointed in my flesh. My heart is crusty and crumbly, like a burnt log after the fire dies down. I don't want to be the ashen remains of a man on fire for God. I want to burn with a passion to live like him. The Josh and the Sam in me are at war... and they both are amazing fighters. Yet only one slayed giants.
This is my prayer. The prayer of a giant slayer.That God always be my focus, even when the lights go out. That no destruction befall me due to my own negligence.
I wrote a poem that spoke of struggle and Samson making mention of the most terrifying verse in scripture. Judges 16:20
20 She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him
I cant think of anything worse than that thought right there. Not knowing that the LORD had departed from him. I went to a men's bible study and we were talking about courage and being a courageous man of God. Much of the material text is based out of Joshua, and tonight was no exception. Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
The thing that drew me to God in the first place wasn't redemption of sin, which I am grateful for. It wasn't The gift of compassion or the promise that the Holy Spirit would reside in me, which I cherish. It wasn't the testament of his mercy which I wouldn't have survived without...
No, it was this promise given to Joshua in 1:5
No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you
That God would never leave or forsake me.
I believe that God doesn't change, and that he is the same yesterday today and forever, nor does he go against his word. I've been at war with this. I have fought my thoughts back and forth because I have wanted to be Joshua but often I feel like Samson. When I screw up I feel like God is distant and I try to figure out where I left him. But Joshua... HE keeps God at the forefront of his focus and follows him in battle. I want to be this man in the fluid flesh of the blood in my heart, yet... I find that I am often Samson. These two men are different. Look at this example:
Joshua's warning in chapter 23:
8 But you are to cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day. 9 For the LORD has driven out great and strong nations from before you; and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day. 10 One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, just as He ]promised you. 11 So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God.
12 For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, 13 know with certainty that the LORD your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you
I'm pretty sure that was a prophecy for Samson,
18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all that is in his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. 19 She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his hair. Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him. 20 She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. 21 Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison. 22 However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it was shaved off.
Now Samson and God reconciled as Samson died...
but I don't want to be that guy. I don't want to realize that I screwed up and then die. True that is one heck of a way to go out, but I want to be the guy that never let God out of my sight to begin with. I want to be that guy... but I'm not.
My heart gets crusty. My eyes go blind. I wonder where God has gone... and why he left.
I know he didn't really leave, but he goes silent. I hate that part. Why does he do it?
I believe that God goes quiet to test our hearts to see if we will follow his word.
That is spoken of a few times in Judges 3 and other places.
I know I fail at this all the time. God goes quiet and I turn to sin. He tests my heart and my heart is wicked. My spirit gets so disappointed in my flesh. My heart is crusty and crumbly, like a burnt log after the fire dies down. I don't want to be the ashen remains of a man on fire for God. I want to burn with a passion to live like him. The Josh and the Sam in me are at war... and they both are amazing fighters. Yet only one slayed giants.
This is my prayer. The prayer of a giant slayer.That God always be my focus, even when the lights go out. That no destruction befall me due to my own negligence.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Swords and Guns and stuff.
“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. Jesus ( John 16:12)
I read this chapter this morning and this passage stood out to me. It nearly leapt of the digital page as if it were one of those magic eye puzzles and after going cross eyes I could finally see the real picture.
I remember when I was a kid, my sister and I hated each other. Actually, I think she loved me, but I was a jerk. We would go around getting each other in trouble and pointing the finger at everything that each one did wrong then scurrying off to tell mom. I'm sure this is something universal in all children with their brothers and sisters. There are a mixture of motives, justice, self righteousness, or even the actual warning of consequence for the benefit of the transgressor. I remember telling on my sister for things and my mom getting mad at me for tattling. When I was younger that didn't make much sense to me, because SHE was doing wrong... why wouldn't mom want to know about that? We've already established that I was a jerk right? Yeah? Just making sure.
Brothers and sisters still do that. I'm talking about the kingdom here. Brothers and sisters of God. We play the role of the spirit and we pick of the word of God and we tell people what they are doing wrong. We point the finger, and we sit back in our chairs and smile brightly at how we've done right by wielding the word of God like a sword, having just stabbed someone with it. We revel in rebukes because after all, God must now favor us for exposing the sin of everyone else.
"I have many more things to say... but you cannot bear them now"
I think about this often...
How we demand things of others that they aren't ready for. We hold them to a stander that they cannot possibly reach for reasons that aren't the purest of nature. What if when we saw an issue with someone, we loved them. We served them and helped build them up so that they could get to a place where they could handle all the rest of the the issues before them?
What if we did that for ourselves?
Support.
Imagine if instead of stabbing one another with the sword that is the word of God, we used to it parry the arrows and the attacks of the enemy.
Many have heard me liken the spiritual struggle as soldiers all trying to take a hill under enemy fire. We get shot up and we are wounded. The last thing you need when you have a hole in your side, is someone in your platoon not only watching you bleed, but shooting at you.
I'm not saying that we shouldn't address sin if we see it in our brothers and sisters, because after all.. If the soldier walking behind me is pointing their gun at their face and the safety on the rifle is off, its is a disaster for EVERYONE. What I am saying is that there are times to speak. There are ways to speak. There are heart checks that we ourselves need to perform before we even open our mouths to speak out about the sin of another, because if we do it wrong its going to be a disaster.
I imagine a surgeon trying to remove a bullet from a wound. If he doesn't make sure that his equipment is clean, that wound is going to get worse. If he doesn't make sure he is in the right frame of mind, then his hand is going to shake and he is going to cause nerve damage.
"I have many more things to say... but you cannot bear them now"
There is a man that I quietly respect ( I'm pretty sure he thinks that I am an idiot because he doesn't know me all that well, and his limited interaction with me has been me making jokes with his kids) who said that if you are going to rebuke someone for their sin, you must be ready to die for them.
That is a profound bit of truth. What if before we spoke, we were ready to give all of ourselves.
We need to get to the place were we are more aware. We cannot win a war righteously with the actions and tactics of our enemy.
I read this chapter this morning and this passage stood out to me. It nearly leapt of the digital page as if it were one of those magic eye puzzles and after going cross eyes I could finally see the real picture.
I remember when I was a kid, my sister and I hated each other. Actually, I think she loved me, but I was a jerk. We would go around getting each other in trouble and pointing the finger at everything that each one did wrong then scurrying off to tell mom. I'm sure this is something universal in all children with their brothers and sisters. There are a mixture of motives, justice, self righteousness, or even the actual warning of consequence for the benefit of the transgressor. I remember telling on my sister for things and my mom getting mad at me for tattling. When I was younger that didn't make much sense to me, because SHE was doing wrong... why wouldn't mom want to know about that? We've already established that I was a jerk right? Yeah? Just making sure.
Brothers and sisters still do that. I'm talking about the kingdom here. Brothers and sisters of God. We play the role of the spirit and we pick of the word of God and we tell people what they are doing wrong. We point the finger, and we sit back in our chairs and smile brightly at how we've done right by wielding the word of God like a sword, having just stabbed someone with it. We revel in rebukes because after all, God must now favor us for exposing the sin of everyone else.
"I have many more things to say... but you cannot bear them now"
I think about this often...
How we demand things of others that they aren't ready for. We hold them to a stander that they cannot possibly reach for reasons that aren't the purest of nature. What if when we saw an issue with someone, we loved them. We served them and helped build them up so that they could get to a place where they could handle all the rest of the the issues before them?
What if we did that for ourselves?
Support.
Imagine if instead of stabbing one another with the sword that is the word of God, we used to it parry the arrows and the attacks of the enemy.
Many have heard me liken the spiritual struggle as soldiers all trying to take a hill under enemy fire. We get shot up and we are wounded. The last thing you need when you have a hole in your side, is someone in your platoon not only watching you bleed, but shooting at you.
I'm not saying that we shouldn't address sin if we see it in our brothers and sisters, because after all.. If the soldier walking behind me is pointing their gun at their face and the safety on the rifle is off, its is a disaster for EVERYONE. What I am saying is that there are times to speak. There are ways to speak. There are heart checks that we ourselves need to perform before we even open our mouths to speak out about the sin of another, because if we do it wrong its going to be a disaster.
I imagine a surgeon trying to remove a bullet from a wound. If he doesn't make sure that his equipment is clean, that wound is going to get worse. If he doesn't make sure he is in the right frame of mind, then his hand is going to shake and he is going to cause nerve damage.
"I have many more things to say... but you cannot bear them now"
There is a man that I quietly respect ( I'm pretty sure he thinks that I am an idiot because he doesn't know me all that well, and his limited interaction with me has been me making jokes with his kids) who said that if you are going to rebuke someone for their sin, you must be ready to die for them.
That is a profound bit of truth. What if before we spoke, we were ready to give all of ourselves.
We need to get to the place were we are more aware. We cannot win a war righteously with the actions and tactics of our enemy.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Rules
Anyone who has know me for an extended period of time knows that I have three foundational non-negotiable rules in life. I came up with them years ago and it has been the source of much amusement for my friends and family. They are as follows.
1) Jay does not dance.
This one was mostly implemented as a safeguard for my pride but there was an additional element of safety for those around me. I am a giant and a misstep could crush a group of people in no time flat.All it takes is for one stray elbow to go wild and suddenly happy dance party has become a race to the E.R. ... or at least that is how it always plays out in my mind.
2) Jay does not share food.
I'm not sure this needs any sort of breakdown on it because I am pretty sure this is a man law. If I've got a plate, that plate is sovereign territory. Your fork is an unauthorized enemy aircraft invading the neutral zone and I am authorized to shoot it down and the incident will be seen as an act of aggression
3 Jay does not run.
I've hated running. It's awful. You intentionally get up and drain all your energy going no-place in particular. And you can feel it in your lungs afterwards... awful.
Or so I used to think.
I have these rules and I don't even follow them anymore. I was at a friends wedding and even though I don't know how to dance, I danced anyway with my sister in law. Sure there was alcohol involved, but it was a wedding celebration. I even got comments later on what a great dancer I was ( much to my shock.) There were other moments when the air was right, and time slows and you feel the moment. I dance. That part of my old heart is gone and now I do it on occasion because I want to. ( and because occasionally alcohol is involved )
As for sharing food, something changed in me. What kind of Italian doesn't share food? I look back at that how far I have come from it. I see the blessings of sharing with others and feeding people what little I have to share. The fellowship of eating a meal together is a powerful moment of bonding. That part of me that says " all for me, stay away" has died so much. It isn't all gone but there isn't much there anymore.
But running...
Running..
I've always joked that I would rather punch a bear than run from it. In life I have had the notion that I cant think of anywhere that I would need to be in such a hurry that it wouldn't still be there when I got there.
That part of my heart is still there, however there are cracks in the stone of the stronghold.
I know a woman who is a runner. Initially she started talking about running as her passion and I wont lie that my initial thought was something to the effect of "Pshhhh, good luck with that. I applaud you but I don't want anything to do with that" As I hung out with her, her passion was undeniable. It was something that she loved., LOVES. I would sit and think, why? How? how does someone love that? It was a part of her that I didn't understand but, I wanted to. It aroused a curiosity in me about it. I'd ask questions here and there trying to get an understanding and just letting her know that even though this thing wasn't for me, I at very least respected it in her. I watched how dedicated she is to it. How excited she got about it. How much fun she has. How her life is when she can't go do it. I'm pretty sure all she saw was the blank bored look on my face that masked the respect and inspiration building behind my eyes. I listened to some things even though I didn't understand. One day she was pouring out her words matching the subject that is a part of her heart and as they splashed over me something dripped into the cracks of that stronghold in my heart. I remembered something that I had forgotten from when I was a young young boy. The freedom.
I remember i used to be so fast that the neighborhood kids would talk. I would run everywhere and I would climb anything and I swear to my young mind I was unstoppable.
The life of this woman testified something to me. Her life testified of life.
I walked down to get my taxes filed today and on my way home I stopped over at a baseball field duggout where I tend to do some thinking and meditation. I thought about her, and my rules, and who I am and who I was. I thought about what I want.
That answer is freedom.
With that answer I thought, I want to run right now. I looked over at the people playing soccer and then over at the people running track and for a moment I paused. For a second I didn't want them to see me running. Some people have made fun of me before and I don't want them to look at me. I don't want this and I don't want that. But I want freedom. So, I ignored them all. The people, the thoughts, the insecurities. I just ran. I started slow and started a light jog. Then I thought, I want to run fast. So I ran fast. Then I thought, I want to run completely uninhibited and free..
and I did. It was awesome.
Sitting here writing all this I think about the commands of God. The rules. "Pshhhh, you can not eat pork all you want. Good luck with that." Pshhhhh, you can forgive people all you want, i applaud you but that has nothing to do with me " What if god set before us things and he says " this is freedom. This is liberty. " and we say in our heart, " I don't want anything to do with that." Our Lives and our passions are testifying something. Our actions and the impressions we give, They speak louder than words.
Are we passionate about the Words and the way of God? Do our lives proclaim that message?
Are we willing let go of the strongholds of our demands, our set ways, our arbitrary rules.. and walk in the liberty and freedom that is submission to God.
Running.
Who would have though I would have enjoyed running. God can save us all.
1) Jay does not dance.
This one was mostly implemented as a safeguard for my pride but there was an additional element of safety for those around me. I am a giant and a misstep could crush a group of people in no time flat.All it takes is for one stray elbow to go wild and suddenly happy dance party has become a race to the E.R. ... or at least that is how it always plays out in my mind.
2) Jay does not share food.
I'm not sure this needs any sort of breakdown on it because I am pretty sure this is a man law. If I've got a plate, that plate is sovereign territory. Your fork is an unauthorized enemy aircraft invading the neutral zone and I am authorized to shoot it down and the incident will be seen as an act of aggression
3 Jay does not run.
I've hated running. It's awful. You intentionally get up and drain all your energy going no-place in particular. And you can feel it in your lungs afterwards... awful.
Or so I used to think.
I have these rules and I don't even follow them anymore. I was at a friends wedding and even though I don't know how to dance, I danced anyway with my sister in law. Sure there was alcohol involved, but it was a wedding celebration. I even got comments later on what a great dancer I was ( much to my shock.) There were other moments when the air was right, and time slows and you feel the moment. I dance. That part of my old heart is gone and now I do it on occasion because I want to. ( and because occasionally alcohol is involved )
As for sharing food, something changed in me. What kind of Italian doesn't share food? I look back at that how far I have come from it. I see the blessings of sharing with others and feeding people what little I have to share. The fellowship of eating a meal together is a powerful moment of bonding. That part of me that says " all for me, stay away" has died so much. It isn't all gone but there isn't much there anymore.
But running...
Running..
I've always joked that I would rather punch a bear than run from it. In life I have had the notion that I cant think of anywhere that I would need to be in such a hurry that it wouldn't still be there when I got there.
That part of my heart is still there, however there are cracks in the stone of the stronghold.
I know a woman who is a runner. Initially she started talking about running as her passion and I wont lie that my initial thought was something to the effect of "Pshhhh, good luck with that. I applaud you but I don't want anything to do with that" As I hung out with her, her passion was undeniable. It was something that she loved., LOVES. I would sit and think, why? How? how does someone love that? It was a part of her that I didn't understand but, I wanted to. It aroused a curiosity in me about it. I'd ask questions here and there trying to get an understanding and just letting her know that even though this thing wasn't for me, I at very least respected it in her. I watched how dedicated she is to it. How excited she got about it. How much fun she has. How her life is when she can't go do it. I'm pretty sure all she saw was the blank bored look on my face that masked the respect and inspiration building behind my eyes. I listened to some things even though I didn't understand. One day she was pouring out her words matching the subject that is a part of her heart and as they splashed over me something dripped into the cracks of that stronghold in my heart. I remembered something that I had forgotten from when I was a young young boy. The freedom.
I remember i used to be so fast that the neighborhood kids would talk. I would run everywhere and I would climb anything and I swear to my young mind I was unstoppable.
The life of this woman testified something to me. Her life testified of life.
I walked down to get my taxes filed today and on my way home I stopped over at a baseball field duggout where I tend to do some thinking and meditation. I thought about her, and my rules, and who I am and who I was. I thought about what I want.
That answer is freedom.
With that answer I thought, I want to run right now. I looked over at the people playing soccer and then over at the people running track and for a moment I paused. For a second I didn't want them to see me running. Some people have made fun of me before and I don't want them to look at me. I don't want this and I don't want that. But I want freedom. So, I ignored them all. The people, the thoughts, the insecurities. I just ran. I started slow and started a light jog. Then I thought, I want to run fast. So I ran fast. Then I thought, I want to run completely uninhibited and free..
and I did. It was awesome.
Sitting here writing all this I think about the commands of God. The rules. "Pshhhh, you can not eat pork all you want. Good luck with that." Pshhhhh, you can forgive people all you want, i applaud you but that has nothing to do with me " What if god set before us things and he says " this is freedom. This is liberty. " and we say in our heart, " I don't want anything to do with that." Our Lives and our passions are testifying something. Our actions and the impressions we give, They speak louder than words.
Are we passionate about the Words and the way of God? Do our lives proclaim that message?
Are we willing let go of the strongholds of our demands, our set ways, our arbitrary rules.. and walk in the liberty and freedom that is submission to God.
Running.
Who would have though I would have enjoyed running. God can save us all.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Turd Faces.
Malachi 2
1 “And now, you priests, this warning is for you. 2 If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.
3 “Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will smear on your faces the dung from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. 4 And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD Almighty. 5 “My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.
7 “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. 8 But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the LORD Almighty. 9 “So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”
John 9
1 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” 6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. 8 Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9 Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.” 10 So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.”
Controversy over the Man
13 They *brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they *said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.” 18 The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, 19 and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” 28 They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out.
Jesus Affirms His Deity
35 Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. 39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” 40 Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.I thought about writing out a blog, with heart and passion.. but the more I read these two passages.. the more I thought that it speaks for itself. It doesn't matter how high your position is... You can be a turd face, and it pisses off God.
The thing that Got me was the assurance of the disciples of Moses. How many times are we being crap heads because we are so resolute in our interpretation of scripture that we miss the part that the Savior right in front of us is trying to let us see? So self assured that they had the grasp on the right way... they are the righteous ones, and let nobody come against that... even when their wrong.
Think about it.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Illusions.
All my life I have tried to find measure between how the world sees me, and the way I see myself in the world. I, admittedly more than most men, have spent quite a fair amount of my life in introspection. I think about who I am as a man at minimum every other day. I wonder where I am going in life, or where I want to go and if its somewhere godly. I have nerdy hobbies that friends of mine make fun of, taking minor pleasures in the creativity of formulating a jab. I have some nerdy hobbies, but I wouldn't classify myself as a nerd. I have a fairly strong work ethic, when I am at work. However, I haven't been to a nine to five job in a good six months. To most that looks like laziness. To me, this looks like the freedom to be able to work on things that I see that truly do matter in life. I have the freedom and the flexibility to show up at a recently widows farm and help lift heavy things in order to get help get her organized for an estate sale. It gives me the ability to drop everything and spend a week helping my eighty year old grandfather use the bathroom after his back surgery. That is the part that I see, where others attempt to define a person by a job. Labels. Tags. Titles and definitions. How we read things. How we perceive things. How we see people. How we see ourselves.
As I sit here eating a handful of cashews I can't help but think of what the world would be like if people had a clear printed label. 5mg of trans-sarcasm. 20% of your daily value of negativity. Allergy warning, this person dwells in places with high concentrations of sin. How much would that suck! You may read that and for a second think, " That would be great, I could be protected from exposure to all kinds of negative influences and live an awesome clean life" but truthfully, it would be awful. What if your label read, " A significant source of pretension and condescension"
Okay, I think I was starting to get a little lost in that analogy.
What do we see when we look at people? Are we angry, and fault finding? Are we blind to them completely? Do we only notice in others our own projected insecurities that make us either bond, or break communication? What standard do we hold others to, and is it different to the standard in which we hold ourselves? Should it be different? Should we demand things of children that we demand of adults? Flip it around, Should we demand of Adults things that we wouldn't ask of children?
What do we see when we look at ourselves and others?
IS your heart gripped with Anger, in seeing so much injustice?
Sadness for a perception of a vast majority of the hurting and the lost?
Are you in a state of bliss having never given any of these things a moments thought?
What about happiness when you see a child figure out something for the first time on their own?
Do we get frustrated when nobody seems to understand, and we haven't found the words to explain?
Illusions. I wonder how much of the way we see the world is just a mirage. Just because we see something a certain way doesn't mean that is reality. We paint these pictures in our minds of people and places, even events. Of how so and so hurt us, or how great such and such is. Occasionally inflating or diminishing the facts in the storage banks of our minds. I think that we are all the same in this. I think most people are the same. We see people as the enemy often for how they are hurting, or we see them as defiant when they just do not understand something. We see others as heroes when they are just as flawed as we ourselves, and we gloss over the shortcomings in order to maintain the overall illusion of perfection. Some people we are graceless with when they really need it. Others we are far far to graceful for when they have betrayed us.
These traits are in all of us. That is what I see. We are all evil, and through God all we who believe are Saints. We all need empathy at times, and we all need to exorcize that for others
One of my favorite people in the entirety of scripture is Peter. My heart goes out to this guy. I see much of myself in him. A man who sees his a purpose as a watchman or maybe a safeguard for the faith. . He was a man of devout faith. Getting out of the boat to walk on water to reach the Messiah. Yet, catching so much flack from modern day believers because he became afraid and started to sink. A man so zealous for what he saw as true and right that he starting chopping ears when they sought to lay hands on the Savior.
This guy..
This guy became afraid. This guy started swearing at people. This guy became ashamed. Embarrassed. This guy became broken inside. I often wonder what kind of struggle and inner turmoil he was fighting as his savior was dying. I'd bet that he was recounting every miracle, every sermon and every event that he watched and witnessed, and asking himself if it was all a lie. I bet his heart was a bloody mess. I bet he was in the illusion of hopelessness. He had denied the one that he was ready to lay his life down for just hours prior. Perhaps all he saw was his sin, and his abandonment of the one who was supposed to redeem Israel.
But...
The Savior lives, and what is one of the very first things that he says?
Go tell Peter.
It isn't , " That Peter guy is a sin covered ass that left me in my time of need. Let him wallow and let him fester." It wasn't "He deserves to be punished for denying me. He deserves the pain as part of his consequence" The savior didn't rise from the grave just to look down on people. He didn't appear on the road to explain what a major failure everyone is. He didn't pop out of the grave just to brag about how he knocked death out with a right hook to the face.
The first thing he did was care. He cared more about ending the suffering of Peter and the condemnation that he was probably heaping upon himself then anything else. He knew that Pete would screw up. He knew that. We're all just like Pete. We all have denied the one who paid the price for our life. We all have sinned. We all still struggle with sin. We all have our prejudices. We all have our interpretations of who we are, versus how the world sees us, versus the way we really are.
We are all Peter.
and our Choice is this...
We can either focus on the fact that we screwed up in regards to being there for God...
... or we can graciously accept the fact that he came after us to let us know that we have been forgiven and it is time to keep moving forward as a redeemed people.
He didn't focus on the failure. He mended the wounds of a man and sent him to mend others.
Don't get caught up in the illusion that you are without worth. Don't get stuck in the broken part. It may seem like the full scope of reality, but right beyond that is the first step in walking in the knowledge of forgiveness toward righteousness.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Fear.
Tonight I went out in the night air and just walked for the first time in a while. I set out of my apartment with no particular destination in mind because I just wanted to go, and do, something. With my ipod in pocket and my boots tied I set out down the stairs of my ghetto neighborhood and descended into the darkness of our poorly lit complex. As I walked I noticed the stars out and the perfect temperature for this time of day. I noticed the trees and rocks and the strange burning plastic smell of my complex. Tonight, for the first time in a long time I wasn't packing a .45, or a .357 or even my tactical .22. I wasn't thinking about a what if scenario, or how I would react in a certain situation. I wasn't recalling the time that I got mugged when I was fourteen in my own neighborhood back in Grand Rapids. I walked forward without an ounce of fear.
Fear.
I used to have a Karate instructor who would repeat over and over that we do not use four letter words. That one fits the mold. Take a second, and think about it. How much of your life is under a fearful subjugation? In this day and age you cannot turn on the television or pick up a news paper without and laundry list of fear proponents:
"The housing marking taking a turn for the worse!!!"
"Senate Democrats blame republicans for ruining the economy; Reps say "NO, YOU!!!""
"Possible threat of Iranian nuke causes surrounding nations to step up action"
"Think your kids are safe at school, think again: we'll tell you why at 11"
"Think your kids are safe at home, think again: we'll tell you how tiny bacteria found only in your house is trying to kill you."
"What if the coca cola company never decides to bring back Surge"
"What if I lose my Job"
" What if I get sick, I don't have insurance and I can't afford it"
" Adam Sandler makes another movie like "funny people""
Here's one...
"What if they find out my sins."
"What if they don't like the real me"
You get the point some big fears, some little ones. We live in a world of alarmist. Everything can kill you, and everyone is is out to get you. That is what is perpetuated by the media, our society, ourselves.
I don't know if its just to sell stocks or duct tape and bottled water or what. The reality is that this isn't a way to live. What does it profit? This subject is something that God has been showing to me over and over again. Worrying about things leads to insanity and heart problems. It causes sleepless nights and tired days. Why worry about the things that I cannot change? The big things, the ones out of my control. I don't have communication with attack subs. No, I can't directly tell the government to stop trying to spy on me through my computer. Why is there so much fear? What is fear?
Fear is a reaction to a potential loss.
Loss is measured in what can be taken from you.
So where then, is freedom?
The Bible talks about fear, and worry and how it doesn't work well. An old pastor used to say its like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but you don't go anywhere.
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." John 14:27
There you have it. The entire thrust of this post. Fear not. Stop being afraid of things that you shouldn't be afraid of. Fear is a reaction to a potential loss, and loss is what can be taken from you... I ask again... what is freedom?
Ironically, the answer is surrender. Surrender of control to God is the most liberating thing in the world. What can you lose having given everything over to him? What can be taken from you, when you have given everything to take?
"Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it" -The Messiah. The Savoir of the World. Luke 17:33
It comes back to trusting God enough to handle whatever is going on. Be it a job, a significant other, the country, bills, justice, injustice, food, shelter, love... LOVE, peace, acceptance, what ever the case...
...are you afraid of what will happen if you don't have control?
I think we should be afraid of what happens if we keep it.
Fear not.... for he is with us.
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