Category: Church

Patience…not just for Doctors

Patience is a virtue they say, forgive me because i seem to have missed that day when they were handing patience out. Patience has always been a struggle for me and I always jokingly say that I once prayed for patience and got four children. Interestingly enough though I consider myself to be blessed by not only my children but by this family that God has blessed me with. They put up with me and sometimes that’s saying a lot!

How are you in the patience department? Do you get bent out of shape when your food you ordered at a restaurant takes longer than expected? Do you huff and puff at the minor inconveniences of life?

One of my biggest areas of discontent and struggle in the patience department is being on time. For me I have been taught that you don’t ever show up late, you arrive early but with four kids arriving early to anything would be a miracle. I really struggle with this and find it hard to have patience in the midst of those moments.

Whatever your struggle today, patience or otherwise, it is always healthy to take a step back from time to time and look honestly at yourself. Ask yourself “Am I proud of those moment when I huff and puff at things beyond my control? Am I really proud of my behavior when I lash out or am irritable?” Of course the answer is no, so what are we going to do about our poor behavior? Do you want to change, improve your life and physical/spiritual well being? Then we have to dismantle our impatience and stop fueling the fire of our tempers. If you are at all like me, I want to change I honestly don’t want my impatience and poor handle of my emotions to rule me.

Take a hard look at your life today, don’t sugar coat it or bury it but look closely at your life and begin today to make those changes…small steps at a time! Pray to the Lord for guidance and strength to be an overcomer in your struggles. He will guide you and remain at your side through it all. What have you got to lose but to try?!

-Just a thought.

0

Imperfection made perfect

To be like Jesus…what does it mean to me?
How can I possibly be like Him?
I am broken
I am faulty
I am a habitual sinner
Yet His love
His Grace
His Hope
Brings me to the very face
of God,
and I am lost
I am no longer
I cease…
but ah, in my place
will be, not now
not in a moment
but will be
His reflection
looking back at me.
This is Holiness
this is where and who
I am called to be.

0

Sloth

These are days
days spent with
arm over ear and temple
headache spilling
out and over the brim
of these eye lids
and the light
like splintered glass
breaks apart the
silence as it all
comes crashing in
the drapes drawn tight
but never tight enough
leak faster than
gossip told in
the presence of church ladies…
these are the days
when the world doesnt
stop rotating, while this heart
hesitating self-hating
the undulating tempest
of this temple of God
i guess this temple
needs a little work
some sprucing up wouldnt
hurt either…
still let me know
digest another pill
with cold tap water
and pay homage
to the couch surfer
one last time.

0

Dear Posers: Stop Faking it!

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 Msg version)

Are you tired of phonies? Tired of posers? Fakers who claim one thing and live completely opposite of their words? Me too! Not to sound hypocritical because I have my faults, I’m sure you have yours as well. I just can’t stand it when someone has this “holier than thou” attitude and acts judgmentally – going around convicting people of their sins and or pointing out other people’s flaws when all along they aren’t being honest with themselves. Sometimes I think people like that are so afraid of facing their own issues and struggles that it is just easier to point out the issues and struggles in others instead. The problem is I’m tired of these modern day Pharisees standing up and being the “poster children” for what a Christian represents. That model of Christianity is hateful, judgmental, and often hypocritical. It preaches raising the standard high but hardly ever addresses spiritual maturity, discipleship, personal accountability or holiness. This fundamental Christianity is hell bent on damning people to hell, protesting at soldier’s graves, slamming other “Christians” because of differences or because they don’t have the same translation of bible as they do, goading and harassing single parents because of their choice to live and raise their children alone…yet never attempting to try and understand their circumstances and situations.

I’m tired of this false representation of Christ in our world! It grinds on me like course sandpaper to the skin. Would Jesus really have acted this way? If this is what Christ-like love looks like, then I want nothing to do with it! That is not the Christ I follow! The Jesus I know, had more harsh things to say to the fakers, the arrogant teachers of scripture, the actors praying in the streets…He had more harsh things to say to these hypocrites than he had to say to the lost, the lonely, the downtrodden – the empty.

Why was Jesus so rough on these teachers and posers over others? Why them? For starters there is the obvious, they treated scripture blatantly incorrect. They twisted it to apply to everyone besides themselves. Who was to benefit from such usage of scripture? It certainly wasn’t God. The Pharisees, teachers of scriptures had so many laws that no one could go through a day without breaking at least one of them. On top of this inappropriate application of God’s word, there was also the irreverent attitude, a sense of importance and arrogance that accompanied their authority. Jesus even called the Pharisees hypocrites, vipers, whitewashed graves. He went on to say that they outwardly looked bright and clean, but inside they were full of dead men’s bones (Matt 23). That’s pretty harsh! The Sadducees weren’t off the hook either, Jesus declared that these teachers and scribes had made His Father’s temple a den of thieves (Mark 11:15-18).

Long story short, if we know better and still live contrary to what we preach we too are posers…we too are fakers. This above all things scares me. James 3:1 says that preachers and teachers of God Word will be judged more harshly. Why? Because if we claim to know God’s word and that of what He desires of us and do not hold ourselves first and foremost to His standards of living then we are truly in a heap of trouble. How dare any of us cast judgment on the sinner before we are on our knees daily submitting whole heartedly to Christ in every aspect of our lives? I’m not sure about you, but I do not want to be a faker for Christ…it’s all or nothing. When we as Christians can live like Christ, act like Christ and love like Christ, then and only then will we have the power to change this world around us for His glory.

Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying here. I am not advocating any kind of liberal application of God’s Word towards sin, accountability and loose living…what I am advocating and railing against is hypocritical, “you know better” behavior that is so pervasive in the modern church from pastors on down to laity in the pews. Godly living is required of His people! Without it, we are worse off than anyone who is still ignorant to God and in the darkness of sin within our world. Either act and live like Christ or get out of the way and stop the damage that you are inflicting on this world through your half and half lifestyle. It’s either you live for Christ or you don’t.

This for me is a very difficult pill to swallow so to speak. It is a very unpopular message…but I am convicted of it, I have been the hypocrite, the actor at times and I know God requires more from me. Yes God’s grace is sufficient, yet what we do with that grace once we know how to live is on us. Get on with it, live it and cast off the poser in us all.

Image

0

Community…love it or hate?

Let’s be honest, living in community isn’t easy. We all know it, but we don’t say it because it’s kind of a sensitive subject…it effects you and me. We live in community with a lot of people whether we know it our not. Your co-workers – community. Your family – community. Your church – community. Your Neighrhood – yeah still community.

How we interact sometimes depends on how a particular relationship is at that time…if there’s been a falling out or disagreement that community might be strained or awkward. But no matter how you slice it we live in community…unless you’re a hermit in the woods.

With that being said, community can either be a positive or negative experience. Just look in the bible at Acts chapter 2 for an excellent example of a positive experience in community. After the day of Pentecost the early followers of Christ began an amazing house church community in which things thrived and exploded. They shared everything with one another such as food and financial resources. There was harmony and the sense of love was overwhelming. This was and still is one of the most amazing examples of community working, active and thriving in all of history.

I could give examples of unhealthy, negative communities but all one has to do to see this is to flip on a reality television or even experience it (possibly) in a co-worker dispute or family disagreement. It happens.
We are all susceptible to selfish ambitions and pride…the question is do we want to change? Is change possible? Can we grow?

Community isn’t easy, blow outs take place…but is it possible to exist in an Acts 2 community in our world? I believe it’s possible, but in order to get there we have to take off our mantles or pride and selfishness and adopt an attitude of Christ-like selflessness and humility…when or if we ever get there watch out because THAT community will be a magnet to many who witness it.

But first…compassion, selflessness and humility. -Micah 6:8

Just a thought.

0

Crushed, Mushed, Yet Persistent

crushing your head

Ok I admit it, I used to love this sketch, but today it reminds me of something more than just comedy…although HA! This sketch still makes me laugh.

“In every way we’re troubled, but we aren’t crushed by our troubles. We’re frustrated, but we don’t give up.”

(2 Corinthians 4:8)

This has been one of my favorite passages for a long time, and I’ll tell you why…one word ‘Hope’.  Not ‘hope’ in the sense of wishes, like “I hope it will be warmer tomorrow”, but rather the confidence in something so much more absolute and dependable.  The hope that is conveyed here by the apostle Paul is a confidence in God and in the mission of this great truth of Christ.

If someone who had been beaten for his faith could relate to such an emotion as hope, then there must be something to it for us as well.  Paul had been obsessed with eradicating these heretic followers of Christ when he was known as Saul, before the blinding celestial lights on the highway to Damascus came on.  His experience there transformed him into a “won’t back down” kind of missionary and evangelist.  He wasn’t in it for fame, certainly not fortune because there was none and his political and notoriety took a nose dive following his decision to declare Christ’s message to the known world.  Paul knew that this road he was on would lead him to his eventual death…yet he didn’t take the next exit off this highway.

It kind of boggles the mind doesn’t it?  This dude was beaten for his faith; he had been put in chains, and was serving Christ in various house arrests, ship wreaks, and eventually his ultimate sacrifice of execution.   If there was ever a “who’s who” of hard-core Christ followers, Paul would most definitely be on that list!  Yet in his difficulties, in his personal struggles and leadership struggles, he writes this letter of encouragement and hope to a church he hadn’t seen in a year.

The very first chapter he writes; “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 afflictions so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, which the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”(2 Cor. 3-4).

Not only was Paul confident in this hope that was in God, but he wanted others to know this comfort, confidence and hope too.  His love for others placed him in danger yet he didn’t quit, withdraw, or deny his allegiance to God through the Messiah Christ Jesus.

Have you been crushed, pressed on all sides?  Do you feel discouraged, let down, torn by life circumstances?  Have you considered throwing up the white flag and giving up?  You are not alone!  I’ve been there, might be there again tomorrow…I don’t know.  But what I do know is that this message that Paul wrote a looooooong time ago, is for me and you too!  We may not face certain death for our convictions or declarations of faith, but we do face trouble because of it.  Your struggle might be spiritual, physical or a little of both.  Whatever you’re going through today, you are not alone, and God does NOT want you to give up either!

I’ve never been or wanted to be on the “who’s who” list of Hard-core followers of Christ, but I know still today, God calls us to take giant stands for Him, and whatever comes of these convictions and proclamations…we won’t back down or quit.  This isn’t some call to arms, or some strange militia rant, this is a declaration of faith, and the knowledge that God will comfort you and me even in the most difficult of circumstances.

So stand firm, be bold, and don’t give up!

2

Today Superman is as sick as a dog.

Isn’t it interesting that inspiration is spontaneous and seeks us out in the oddest of circumstances. Me? It found me today, bent, back aching from coughing all night, sick as a dog minus fleas…at least Im pretty sure i don’t have fleas. Medicine induced funky dreams that make as much sense as spaghetti in cereal…I know yuck! For everyone else in the world who is currently sick or about to get sick…I feel your pain, and it ain’t pretty…did I just say ain’t (don’t look now my red neck is showing)?!

I digress. I’m sick today hacking worse than a man with one lung In a marathon (no offense to my uni-lung compadres). Headache will undoubtably be at the door soon begging to come in. I’m frustrated with much to do and house bound…this truly sucks. Here today, I’m reminded though that I am not superman. I never was, and I never will be (is that a kick to my macho ego? Yep, it sure is). So in the spirit of the unhealthy and the unwell, I am putting the cape, silk yet indestructible, away today…(can I still hold on to it for a moment?).

There’s a passage in the Bible that says “apart from me (Jesus speaking) you can do nothing” (John 15:5). I’m really feeling that verse today. News Flash: I am not invincible. Sub-title: Jesus is.
Hmm…in my weakened state today, hacking and feeling achy…I realize that in every aspect of my life, I am better off with Christ than without him. There…I’ve admitted it…I don’t feel any less like a man, in fact I realize that I am not whole without my relationship to God through Christ.

He is healer, savior, friend, defender and so much more…and not just today when I’m hangin’ with the crud of sickness, but everyday.

Inspiration: I don’t want to be apart from Him…ever. It doesn’t mean that I there wont be days when I forget and try and reassume this role of superman, cape and all…what it does mean is that I’ve become more aware of this earthen vessel that is temporary and breakable…yet in my weakness He is strong.

So here I am today sick as a dog, yet feeling mighty blessed to know the one who has Saved and Redeemed me is unbreakable, mighty and everlasting. Do you still have a strong hold on your Superman cape today? Can I refer you to my Heavenly doctor? ;).

-Blessings on you today…keep reaching for Him, he’ll never let you fall!

20130110-113947.jpg

3

Les Miserables: A story of intervention, redemption and hope.

Their hands and feet are in chains.   The scenery begins with the misery of deplorable labor camp conditions; and if a prisoner dies, another takes their place.  Life is expendable and short lived in this hell on earth.    Their words echo and resound in our hearts: “Look down, look down don’t look ’em in the eye.  Look down, look down, you’re here until you die…The sun is strong It’s hot as hell below, Look down, look down, there’s twenty years to go. I’ve done no wrong! Sweet Jesus, hear my prayer! Look down look down, Sweet Jesus doesn’t care.”

Spoiler Alert…

This is the opening scene of Les Miserables, a book by Victor Hugo, transformed into a world renown musical and now a soon to be academy award winning movie.  The content of this story pulls at our heart strings, makes us weep at the human condition and lament the loss of love, life and hope.  But within the narration of this classical tale dwells a redemptive element that is personified in the character of Jean Valjean.  At the beginning of this tale,  Valjean is a prisoner because he broke into a bakery and stole a loaf of bread for his sister’s children who are starving.  He is convicted and sent to work in this labor camp prison and now identified by the law as prisoner 24601, his life is a perpetual hell…until he is paroled.  The story picks up following his release and his trouble only continues because of his identity as a convicted felon with his yellow identification card – indicating his post prison status.  He is taken in by a Bishop only to give into temptation and steals some valuable silverware, but Valjean is caught and brought back to the bishop.  At this point a first time reader might assume Valjean is doomed by his guilt, but the Bishop does something remarkable, he tells the police that he gave Jean Valjean the valuable silverware.  Following the departure of the police, the Bishop tells Valjean to take the valuable treasure of silverware and use it for good.  Jean Valjean is amazed, conflicted and broken by this gift of generosity and forgiveness.  He vows to use this gift for good and within this amazing story He keeps his promise by redeeming and saving others.

This is more than just a story of hope and salvation in humanity; this is our own redemptive story of grace and reconciliation given to us by God through His Son Jesus Christ.  We can identify with the character of Jean Valjean in many ways.  We too have been a prisoner, our prison is sin, condemned to live a life of hell without the hope of true salvation.  Living in our fallen world, we have all seen the evidence of the hopeless condition in humanity by just watching the news and witnessing horrific acts of violence, selfishness, greed, envy and so much more.  Conditions in parts of our world are deplorable and it even infects the very communities in which we live…there is no place on earth that we can escape these effects of sin.  Many, even those who have resources and are affluent, feel the weight and burden of such hopelessness.   Henry David Thoreau once said; “rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.”  The truth is this: we are hopelessly shackled to this life of depravity and sin without an external intervention breaking through and saving us.  The character of Jean Valjean is you and me.  What would have happened if that Bishop had not intervened?  He was the very hand of God in Valjean’s life.  We too need an external intervention.  Jesus was that intervention for you and for me.  When He came to this world He took upon Himself our sin and our shame…He took our place…that execution on the cross – should have been ours.  Can you feel the shackles breaking yet?  We have been given hope, a release from our death sentence; we’ve been taken in, cleaned up and restored in right relationship with God himself…because of Jesus’ intervention.  So what do we do with this grace, this forgiveness?  I think Victor Hugo had it right in Les Miserables!  His character Valjean doesn’t disappear never to be heard of again, instead he extends that hand of God, grace, hope and love in his intervention to others.  That is the essence of Redemption!  First it comes to us from an external intervention, and then we in turn extend that intervention to other…we become the very hands and feet of God.  Mark 16:15 says; “He (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”   We become God’s intervention to the world…we don’t become God, but rather we are used by God to spread this good news!

So how about it, is it time of an intervention in our world?  Do you want to be a part of God’s redemptive plan in your life as well as the lives of others?  It begins with accepting this gift of redemption and grace that Christ gives to us all, then from there be a part of spreading that good news of His redemptive love to those around you!  This tale of Valjean is you and me…and we have been redeemed for a purpose…so do something about it! Image

2

Are you restless? (confronting restlessness)

Don’t be ashamed to admit it. Being restless can be a real motivator to get on with something that you’ve been putting off for years. It is the belief of many that after the close of a year and the beginning of a new one this sense of restlessness increases in frequency in the population of our country. But let me ask the important question…why? Why do we experience such feelings of uneasiness, discontent and restlessness? Sometimes this occurs all at once, and other times these feelings incrementally increase, building until sleepless night occur, stress is induced and we find ourselves questioning our occupations, general happiness and a other facets of our lives. If left unchecked this once innocuous emotion can rule our lives leading us into depression and in the need of professional counseling.

So why does restlessness occur?
Here are a couple of reasons:

1) Complacency (An Internal Struggle): just living to get by isn’t living at all. Sometimes as humans we settle into a comfortable routine, and what I’ve learned in life about routines is that if there isn’t an element of challenge attached to those routines what begins to form is uneasiness, then restlessness soon takes its place and either it spurs one to change or an emotion of lost identity ensues taking the individual into depression. Complacency is dangerous, its more than pure laziness its in a real sense a relinquishing of humanity, in other words its giving up and assuming an apathetic response to all areas of living.

The Remedy:
Change your routine. Find things to challenge you. Read books that not only encourages but pushes you to live better, healthier lives both physically and spiritually.

2) Disillusionment (An External source) Perhaps its in your work place and or your boss/employer. Perhaps its found in your financial state, you feel slighted or wronged. Maybe its in your government, or local communities.

Disillusionment can cause us to assume an identity of restlessness out of our own sense of injustice or betrayal. We feel nothing we can do will change our circumstances because we have no power to change anything in “our world” and our environment. Discontent gives way again to restlessness and soon we are in that apathetic response to the world us and we just don’t care anymore.

The Remedy: Perhaps a different line of work. I realize the economy and current market doesn’t bode well for this suggestion, but a sense of ownership can renew our world view and our role in it. Self worth is attached to our sense of achievement whether we like it or not. If we don’t feel we can contribute to a specific problem or challenge the natural instinct is to withdraw from that problem and our powerless view of ourselves only lends itself to furthering this sense of restlessness.

Another remedy would be to focus on problems or challenges that you can change or accomplish something positive. Sometimes we have this grandiose idea that we can change the world and so we attempt to take on more than we are capable of at that time…its also known as “biting off more than you can chew”. Instead we need to focus on the smaller victories and take smaller bites, so to speak. This is an incremental change in our world view, life is a journey that requires us to pace ourselves like a marathon instead of a sprint.

Are you restless at the start of 2013? Is it an internal type of restlessness, or an external type? Sometimes it can be both too. These are just a few remedy’s that are common sense and maybe will eliminate that restless spirit in you. It is understood that there are more ways to confront and address restlessness…these are just a few suggestions.

Lastly: take a vacation, get away for a weekend, or sleep a little more. Try eating a low fat diet, and exercise which has been known to increase the “good” emotions firing in your brain. Realize that restlessness relates to both your physical body as well as your emotional and spiritual side as well.

Where ever you are today, I hope that you may find rest.

20130104-120233.jpg

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑