Category: Life

Why I stopped listening to “Christian” Music

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I probably just offended a few Christians out there, sorry that was not my intent, let me get to the point.  I have a problem with certain types of music that has become exclusive.  By this I mean Christianity isn’t a show in which we sell tickets and make money.  U2 once wrote in one of their songs, “Then they put Jesus in show business, now it’s hard to get in the door.” (If God will Send His Angels, 1997)  Is it hard for outsiders to hear the gospel of Jesus in some of the “Religious” music today?  

I like what Jon Foreman, singer/song writer of ‘Switchfoot’ said when asked if their band was a “Christian” band; “…There is a schism between the sacred and the secular in all of our modern minds. The view that a pastor is more ‘Christian’ than a girls volleyball coach is flawed and heretical. The stance that a worship leader is more spiritual than a janitor is condescending and flawed. These different callings and purposes further demonstrate God’s sovereignty. Many songs are worthy of being written. Switchfoot will write some, Keith Green, Bach, and perhaps yourself have written others. Some of these songs are about redemption, others about the sunrise, others about nothing in particular: written for the simple joy of music. None of these songs has been born again, and to that end there is no such thing as Christian music. No. Christ didn’t come and die for my songs, he came for me. Yes. My songs are a part of my life. But judging from scripture I can only conclude that our God is much more interested in how I treat the poor and the broken and the hungry than the personal pronouns I use when I sing. I am a believer...”  (http://ctkblog.com/2013/12/05/why-switchfoot-wont-sing-christian-songs/) 

“Christian” music shouldn’t be a label that bands slap on themselves to sell records, it should be a lifestyle no matter if they fill stadiums or play in churches.  I think there’s a misnomer that if you don’t make it big on a secular label one can just “crossover” and produce mediocre tunes and still be successful…I honestly don’t think that mentality is truly an effective source of genuine evangelism. 

1. Get out of the bubble:

 

 

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I applaud musicians who see the world around them as Jon does.  There shouldn’t be a schism in our society that differentiates and divides.  I recognize the need to be “set apart” as Christians, but does that mean that we should also be separated and exclusive in our music too?  Understandably there are certain forms of music that are foul in language and sexual in nature that we should avoid. This isn’t about worship music on Sunday mornings either, this is about how we perceive the world around us and breaking down the walls of an “Us against Them” mentality.  

We can’t build walls around the Christian church, if anything Jesus came to tear down those walls.  Sometimes I get frustrated with the “Christian bubble” affect that Christian music has on people.  You know the old phrase “don’t become so heavenly minded that you’re of no earthly good”?  This is exactly what happens, in my opinion, when all that we live and breathe is the Christian radio station in our cars.  This is what happens when our worldview becomes so small that it just includes the four walls of our church and our homes. God has a bigger outlook on His people than just for the purpose of insulating themselves in the bubble of the “Christian world”.  

If we are to be His mouthpiece in the world we have to be willing to step out of our little bubbles and stop looking at “non-Christians” as “Them”…we’re all people who have been created by a mighty God and He loves people and He longs for a restored relationship with ALL people!  His desire is that all will hear of His amazing love.  

2. Don’t Disguise Jesus: 

 

 

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I am not saying we shouldn’t proclaim His name either.  We shouldn’t have to dress up Christ in a disguise in order to fool people into listening to “Christian” music either, and I don’t think that Bands like Switchfoot do this.  Jesus doesn’t need a disguise in order to fit into the lives of any who are lost in this world.  Jesus wasn’t bothered by the social norms and constraints of the Ancient Jewish customs and neither would He be in our day and age.   God doesn’t get stuck in our socially accepted roles and rules, He is above them and He sees how things should be not how things are right now.  Jesus doesn’t need a disguise and will work through the hearts of those who are genuine and real.  He will work In the hearts of those who have a real passion to reach the lost, the poor, the hurting. We can’t box God in and say that He doesn’t love “those” people because He is still seeking and willing to save anyone who needs Him.

 

 

 

3. Dear Musicians, Lay off the cheesy lyrical cliches of “Christianese” 

 

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I am trying not to offend anyone, but there are some annoying Christian lyrics out there being played on the radio today.  For example, “If you don’t know what to say, just say “Jesus”…”  Are you kidding me?  Is that the best we can do?  How is that reaching out to those who have never heard the truths and love of God?  Sorry, my critical side is showing and I’m sure I will receive some feedback on this, but any genre of music should make the attempt to produce quality music and not settle for the (churchy) old, tired cliches.  From an outsider’s perspective it just comes across as cheesy and who wants to listen to something thrown together that doesn’t even come close to the level of quality listeners come to expect in modern music?  

Don’t compromise the message, but also don’t settle for mediocrity either.  In all things we ought to strive for excellence and keep the passion to reach a dying world at the forefront of our mission.   Christ came for the whosoever not the “whatever”.  He still longs for His people to actively engage in relevant evangelism so that the truth of His Word can penetrate hurting hearts, but we can’t rely on tired old cliche’s that no one understands to deliver that message.  

In a nutshell:

 

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 I listen to all kinds of music.  I enjoy many, many genres, and I don’t want to place myself in an unbreakable Christian bubble as I look out into the “outside” world.  We all are called to step out and be available to show His love to anyone we can reach.  We can’t compartmentalize our Church life from our social life…It’s all life and there is a real mission to fulfill in it.  This is more than just music, this is the great commission and we can not afford to waste our time living in an exclusive world while millions die without seeing the real, tangible Christ in our walks of faith and in the words we say and live out loud.  

 

To quote again one of my favorite bands – U2 “There is no them, there’s only Us” (Invisible, 2013)

-Just a thought.  

 

 

***Disclaimer: It’s not that I don’t listen to “music with a message” or Christian music, it’s that I long for a deeper more impacting quality of music in the Christ-following realm that is played on radios. I love the Lord with all my heart and I want to serve Him the best that I can, but I also don’t want to cheapen that relationship by settling for a poor quality of music. Long story short, I’m a music snob…sorry about that!***

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The Creator…and the Cosmos

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

Recently a new television series on science and the universe began on the FOX television channel.  It is called “The Cosmos” updated and adapted from the the original series by Carl Sagan.  

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It’s host is American astrophysicist, author and science communicator Neil deGrasse
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Tyson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_deGrasse_Tyson 

Some fundamental Christians might be offended by this television series due to the absence of the Creator and in some cases how the church in the middle ages is portrayed.  I honestly am not offended by either of these, in fact I find myself fascinated by the universe and how far science and our human exploration has come since the original series was aired in 1980.  

You see for me science and our Creator go hand in hand.  When I watch this series and other series’ about the universe I can’t help but marvel at the vastness of God’s creation.  

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Sometimes the Christian view is too small…

Tunnel Vision:

It is my belief that sometimes we of faith in God limit our understanding of a limitless Creator.  We can become so fixated on the details of creation and how it was made and how long it took to make it.  Granted I recognize too that science and those who solely rely on its tangible data can also have tunnel vision when theories of space and the ever expanding universe are completely quantified and accepted as concrete truths.  By this I mean to say that when something becomes accepted as truth it is very hard to change that acceptance if more evidence comes along to shake that truth apart.  For instance at one point people believed that the Sun revolved around the earth but we know now that the Earth actually revolves around the Sun.  

What I am trying to say is that this Universe is amazing and wondrous and we who have faith in God shouldn’t be afraid to explore it and study it because I believe it points right back to Him!  Recently I wrote that we cannot put God in a box and completely quantify his majestic nature, and when it comes to the Universe we can only begin to catch a glimpse of how deep and how wide God’s love is for us (Ephesians 3:18) along side His truly mind-boggling creation of the Universe around us.  

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“Don’t lose the forest for the trees…”

Recently I have been teaching a bible study in our church (Corps) on the book of Revelation.  In this study I have stressed over and over again to our little class not to get so caught up in the interpretation and meaning of the symbolism of John’s vision and even various theories of the apocalypse for that matter.  In other words don’t lose the forest for the tree, don’t get so bogged down in the details that you lose sight of the bigger (much bigger) picture!  In the very same sense, the series of the Cosmos on FOX and other studies of our Universe should be looked at in this way as well.  How amazing is our God and that of His vast creation around us.  How small we are in His Universe, and though we may not comprehend it all, we should begin to see how much He loves us and how precious we are to Him.  

 

“…your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

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“That Preacher was wrong – confronting a false teaching”

Confronting A False Teaching:

ImageThere is a false teaching in some churches  that I believe begs to be addressed.  At the moment of confession and even in some theological circles the notion that prosperity is just around the corner for a Christian if they just have faith and pray for it is blatantly false.  Sometimes this falsity has been preached by television evangelists to coax those with itching ears to make a commitment to Christ.  Dare I say that many of these evangelists are only interested in their continued success and for that additional statistic of “new converts”.  They sell this lie quite convincingly with words like “If you confess your sins God will enter your life and He will give you whatever you ask of Him.”  These words are twisted from the original John 14:13 passage to imply that if you just pray hard enough God will help pay your bills or buy you that new car or bring you that new job you were dreaming about.  In essence this false teaching makes God out to be some sort of Genie who grants wishes to those who call upon His name.  But how often do these prosperity preachers really explain the above verse correctly?  

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Will things really become a Mary Poppins world when we accept Christ?  Will things remarkably change for us when we confess our sins?  Yes and no.  Of course if we confess and genuinely repent of our sins God’s spirit will indwell within us.  God’s presence will be there to guide us and we will not be alone…BUT does that mean that all of a sudden all of life’s problems will disappear?  NO!  I don’t mean to sound negative or share a dismal offering here but let’s be real – We will still have to face our life and the journey that we are on in this life.  The new element that God gives us once we accept Him is that we are no longer alone on this journey and He travels right beside us.  The big key in this new element is that we no longer live for ourselves but we live for Christ – 

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Once we accept the identity of God in Christ and understand what selfless sacrifice and salvation looks like we must then align ourselves with Him.  This is the pilgrim’s progress on the journey to Holiness (becoming fully like Christ).  If we accept this truth as a Christ-follower then we can discard the false teaching of prosperity.  Let me clarify this too:  The worldly prosperity false teaching which has entered the church is based upon human selfishness and greed.  But what if we were to take “Self” out of the equation?  What would happen then?

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The Answer to Prosperity Preaching: 

Taking “Self” out of the equation and following John the Baptist’s example when He said “He (Christ) must become greater; I (John the Baptist) must become less.” (John 3:30) We can then begin to understand the true prosperity of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Selflessness brings us one step closer to Holiness in our reflection of Christ.  But what is the purpose of such a leap?  Why become selfless?  

There are two basic reasons: 

(Godly Relationship – Us)

1) It takes the focus off of our earthly fallible sin-sick desires and re-aligns them to Christ’s which in turn opens our hearts for a deeper, richer, Agape Love.  We begin to see our intended purpose in our fellowship and growing closeness with God through Christ.  

(Godly Relationship – others)

2) As we grow in closeness to God in our selfless state we begin to see the struggling lostness of the world around us and are compelled by His love to reach out into that darkness.  

The false teaching of Prosperity in this world forgets to continue reading a pivotal verse in this erroneous teaching:

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13) 

Myth: If we ask the Father for anything on our wish list and if we possess faith enough in His presence it will be given.  What we need to recognize and combat in this false teaching is that what ever we ask in HIS NAME is for the purpose of Glorifying God.  So how does winning the lottery glorify God?  How does praying for that new car and wishing God would just give it to us glorify God?  It doesn’t.  

We must guard ourselves against this false teaching.  Stop naming it and claiming it.  God doesn’t work like that.  When we remove self from the formula of Christ-following we begin to grasp the depths of the true prosperity of the Kingdom.  God wants us to fully rely on Him and to ask Him for help and guidance, just beware of how we ask and for what purpose we are asking.  The Christian life, post salvation, may not look like a Mary Poppins world.  We may still have some rough breaks ahead, but God goes with us into those dark valleys and troubles.  He will strengthen us and guide us and pour upon us His richness of grace in the process.  

Fellow Christ-follower, don’t buy the lie of these false teachers out there who want to sell you a pipe dream.  They will only lead us astray from truly following selflessly the Christ who gave it all for the lost so that they may be saved…can we do the same?  

-Just a thought.  

 

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Truth AND Advertising

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Something on the radio this morning set me off a little bit today.  I was listening to the Christian music station when an advertisement came on for one of the radio’s sponsors, which happened to be a church.  I don’t have a problem with church’s helping to sponsor Christian broadcasting by any means but it was how this particular advertisement ended.  The church (who shall remain anonymous) stated it’s name at the end and then made the bold statement “also known as THE love church”.  

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I had to let it sink in for a moment (I had only had one cup of coffee thus far).  “Wait, what?”,  I thought to myself.  “If they’re the ‘Love’ church then what are the other churches around them labeled as?  The “Hate” church?  The “NICE” church?  The “I kind of like you” church?  And after I asked myself that question another question popped into my head; “If that church has all the love” then what do the rest of the churches get?  Why are they only known as the love church?  Is it because they paid for this advertisement segment?  Did they give themselves that name?  

But…

I wish it only happened once in a while in segments on the radio station but it doesn’t.  I’ve driven by other churches that have seemingly snarky phrases at the bottom of their signs which make the statement – “BIBLE BELIEVING CHURCH“…Um okay.  So the other church down the street is NOT a bible believing church?  Or this church is just BETTER at believing in the Bible?  And who decides that this particular church and its congregation is strictly a bible believing church?  Do they pay bills?  Do they drive a car?  Do they pay taxes?   Then they’re not solely a bible believing church then are they?  By this one statement one could make the assertion that their claim to be strictly a bible believing church is false.  

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Still I’ve come across another sign over a church that made this dire statement:  “PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD”.  When I first saw THAT sign I thought to myself, “Wow their God sounds wrathful and fierce, would I even consider stepping into that church?”   

Here’s a truth that the Apostle Paul made that I believe ALL churches should hear again: 

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” -1 Corinthians 1:10-13  

I’m not picking a verse that fits my purpose, I really want churches to stop comparing themselves with each other.  This isn’t some sort of Church growth competition.  There isn’t some trophy a church will receive when they get to Heaven because they had the best advertising campaign or slogan on the front of their church.  Though Paul spoke these words to a specific church at a specific time, the point is still clear and relevant today: “There should be no divisions among you”.   Yet we can look all around us and see just that divisions and comparisons and envy and even hate.  I’m telling you this ought not be!

Regardless if a church advertises that they are “THE love church” the fact of the matter is that if any connecting part of the body of Christ is sound in doctrine and serving those less fortunate they are Christ to the lost AND they are the “Love” church too!  

I would say this to any and every Church out there:  Stop the competition!  Stop the comparisons!  Stop the divisions and underhanded actions.  We have real Kingdom work to do and it will never be accomplished by these ploys and vices.  Get on with loving your neighbor and enemies and stop plastering it all over the place…because we need each other and we all work for the same Master.

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Say “NO” to Divisions in the Church!

-Just a thought! 

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The Weight of Finality

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“The day of the Lord is near for all nations.  As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.”            -Obadiah 1:15

The book of Obadiah is only a chapter long and is often overlooked, but let’s discuss if for a second through the lens of our own context.

This announcement given by Obadiah whose name literally means “servant of God” is not just for the people of Edom, it is for us as well.  The Edomites were proud over their own security as a nation and that of their might, but they also lorded their power and gloated over the Israelites.  Obadiah’s warning to the Edomites also included a warning for all nations as well.  

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Fast-forward:

Jesus is preaching the greatest sermon this earth has ever heard or will ever hear (The Sermon on the mount) and he makes this statement: 

Matthew Chapter 5 –

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[h] 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

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Love for Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

There is a weight of Finality:

God’s love for humanity, even people we cannot stand, far outweighs our capacity to love them…but that is no excuse.  We are to love and the consequences of that love is that the world is impacted for the better.  Secondly God can shine through us.  

The day of the Lord will come to us.  The real question is what will the weight of that certainty be for us when it does?  

-Just a thought for today.

 

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“Perspectives” Day 3 Featuring Philip Davisson (Major) “WWJD”

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“WWJD” 

WWJD—and the missing piece

 

Although the concept of imitating God in our daily lives has been around for centuries in the form of the imitatio dei, “What Would Jesus Do” began as an idea in a book from 1897 by Charles Sheldon called In His Steps.  As a four-letter concept, it experienced a renaissance of sorts at various times throughout the twentieth century, and even now there are untold numbers of ways to sport WWJD with jewelry, buttons, books covers and even movies.

 

I like the idea of thinking through critical actions by posing that question. But I think there is a piece missing in the equation. Imagine for just a moment if Jesus, in the flesh once again and very much present in our twenty-first century world, were here to talk over some of the pressing questions of our time. Of course, this is what we’re supposed to be doing in prayer and meditation when we ask the WWJD question. But this time, Jesus is physically present and can answer out loud, as it were.

 

The missing piece is exposed when we’re forced to realize that much of the silent conversations we’ve been having around the WWJD questions—assuming we ask the question before we commit ourselves to action—have been rather one-sided. That’s because I think we unfortunately project our own way of thinking onto our conversation ‘partner’ and the result is hardly any different than if we came to the question with an answer already in our pockets.

 

To fill in that missing piece, we have to return to imagining Jesus here with us right now, grappling with the same issues we do. In a context and with issues simply not found in Scripture, or in Bible times, so to speak. The principles behind the issues are the same, though, so that’s where he’d start. He wouldn’t respond with a ready answer, perhaps, but Jesus would know where to begin working his way through the issues at hand, sorting through his priority list of principles, and then begin applying them in a way that is both right and just.

 

I think that’s how Jesus would do it. He’d have a process of thinking through it, one focused on identifying what’s at stake, what biblical principles might be involved, and then which of the principles should be given priority if any two or more them are odds. Just about any course of action has some measure of good in it, some reason to argue in favor of doing it, but some actions are better than others, and we ought to realize to make a moral and ethical choice is sometimes choosing between two otherwise good things.

 

The real key here is to read the Bible looking for the principles that Jesus favored, searching for his list of priorities. When faced with two actions that both plausibly have ‘biblical support’ it’s best to look at how Jesus went about deciding what to do. Jesus can become our model in making decisions when we seek to follow his method.

 

So here’s a proposal: instead of asking what Jesus would do, begin by thinking how Jesus would discover what to do. That’s the best education anyway, not just knowing the what, but knowing the how, the process necessary to get the whats and the whys and so on, of any given situation, especially those we haven’t faced before.

 

How would Jesus think…? I like that better than What would Jesus do. But don’t rush out and make any buttons with HWJT on them, okay?

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“Perspectives” Day 2: Featuring Daniel Waite

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What was I thinking? We’ve all had those moments. Mine happened a few Saturday’s ago. I woke up with the theme song of “Mission Impossible” running through my mind. The voice-over said, “your mission should you choose to accept is to take your little blue shovel and conquer the reality of last night’s storm.”

 

We’d receive 10 inches of snow with blowing. The drift on the deck was at least waist deep. So I pulled on my overhauls, my heavy winter work coat, my 120 grain gloves, and my newly acquired ultra-warm boots. I grabbed my faithful little blue shovel and went to work against 10 inches of snow, the massively pack snowdrift, and the 10 below wind-chill factor.

 

The plan was simple I headed out the door, started digging with my trusty little blue shovel, and realized the heavy packed waist high snowdrift was not going to move.

 

Time to switch to plan B: wade through the waist high snowdrift, reach the snow thrower, start it up, and show the snow who was boss. I was determined that one way or another me and my sturdy little blue snow shovel would win the day. I reached the garage, pulled the cord to start the snow thrower until my shoulder was too sore to pull one more time. I turned around and decided to give it another hack with my previously undefeated little blue snow shovel.

 

At this point another voice-over started running through my mind. You know the one, yeah that one, the voice of the preacher quoting is most sanctimonious voice, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” [Philippians 4:13]

 

How many of us have been told over and over again that “all” means “all.” This idea has even shown up in a new diet book that suggests faith is the key to weight loss. The book starts with a hearty cheerleading session urging the reader to believe that all really does mean all. Especially when it comes to losing weight.

 

There’s a problem with this. That is not what Paul is saying. In fact if you look at the context Paul is talking about being content in whatever circumstances he finds himself in. If we were to read this from the Common English Bible we would read this, “I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength.” What? Nothing about me winning the Super Bowl, bummer.

 

The reality was without the muscle of the mechanical beast known as the snow thrower me and my very sturdy little blue snow shovel stood no chance to complete the mission. No Bible verse could change the reality that my knee, which had just endured a procedure a few days before, could possibly accomplish the mission.

 

Was the Word of God wrong? No. Just the wishful thinking of the modern church that just might be at the end of its life cycle. Think about it. Who has to take things out of context to fit the meaning of what they want to say? Lawyers, politicians, and liars. Or maybe just an old worn out man, with an old worn out shovel, and a badly worn out knee hoping beyond hope that God would part the snow like He parted the Red Sea.

 

Prayer: Dear God, never let me preach the foolishness of man as the wisdom of God.

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“Perspectives” Day 1 featuring Mark Czanderna (Captain) “The Wells of Salvation”

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“The Wells of Salvation”

 

(Isaiah 12:3)

Abraham sent servant Eliezer

To find a wife

For his son

Whose name was Isaac

Eliezer left home

Came to a well

Met a future wife

Her name was Rebecah

She was sister to Laban

She was God’s chosen

For Isaac

By a well

Isaac’s wife was found

Jacob left home

Came to a well

Met a future wife

Her name was Rachel

She was daughter to Laban

She was God’s chosen

For Jacob

By a well

Jacob’s wife was found

Jesus left Judea

Came to a well

Met a woman

Her name was Samaritan

She was repulsive to Jews

She was God’s chosen

To believe in Jesus

By a well

Jesus’ follower was found

Rebecca was the mother

Of Jacob and Esau

Rachel was the mother

Of Joseph and Benjamin

The Samaritan woman

Won many sons to Christ

With joy you will draw water

From the wells of salvation

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“Love Stinks!”

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If you were a fan of  80’s music then the image of Adam Sandler in “The Wedding Singer” singing “Love Stinks” might put a smile on your face today.   

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Today is Valentine’s day.  

There are skeptics as well as true dreamers out there.  Some who view this day as only a made-up holiday by companies to generate more income.  While others of you out there really get into the Valentine’s day “thing”…you love the heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, the flowers, the balloons and maybe a nice dinner out on the town.  

No matter how you view Valentine’s day, the fact of the matter is that love stinks. 

Some of you who are vehemently opposed to valentine’s day are probably cheering right now saying “That’s right, this day stinks!”…but let me clarify what I mean by “Love Stinks!” 

 

 

 

The Stink of Love

Have you ever hugged someone who was wearing a lot of perfume?  Have you ever come away from them smelling like that perfume? I’m guessing that you have.  You carry on in your day (post hug) and once in a while you catch a whiff of that perfume that is still on your shirt.  You’re carrying around you the smell of someone else…i’m not trying to be gross here but in essence you have taken a piece of them with you.  After all that is a fragrance that they have chosen to wear, it reminds you of them and it is stuck on your clothes.  -Sorry Gramma but it’s true.  

 

Love also stinks in another way.   

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Jacob and Rachel, an ancient love story

 

Jacob fell head over heals in love with Rachael.  He strikes up a deal with Rachael’s Dad Laban.  He will work seven years in order to get the love of his life and marry her.  He sweats and toils on that farm.  He works his butt off and finally when it’s time for the wedding, Laban tricks Jacob and he marries Rachael’s sister Leah instead.  I’m sure Jacob was angry and a little betrayed.  He had labored for seven long years for Rachael’s hand in marriage only to be duped by his new father-in-law.  

So what did Jacob do?  He didn’t cut his losses and settle for some other woman, he agreed to work for seven more years under is new father-in-law (the slime bag guy who just had tricked him into marrying his older daughter).  Now there is a deep cultural context that perhaps we’re missing here.  In Jacob’s day one could marry more than one wife…I know it’s not something we think of as normal, nor acceptable.  But Jacob loved Rachael and he was determined to marry her.  

He worked his butt off for another seven years…but this time he surely didn’t have a butt left.  But he had the stink of love on him for 14 years.  Can you image?  He didn’t give up.  He didn’t run away with the wife he had been tricked into marrying.  He stuck it out, worked like a dog, and won the hand of the woman he was so madly in love with.

Do you stink of love?

What would you do for the one you love?  What lengths would you go to make sure the love of your life was happy and with you?  Do you stink of love today?  Have you given up on love?  

 

God stinks of Love for YOU!

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 God still asks us “Will you be mine?” He doesn’t want to play second fiddle in your life. He doesn’t want the left-overs of your love. He wants to be yours completely. With God it’s all or nothing.
He loves us so much that He went to the lengths of sending His one and only Son into this world – Jesus for us.  Romans 8:5 tells us just how much stink of love God has on Him for us – “For God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  He went to extreme lengths for us, and He would do it all over again if He had to.  

 

Do you stink of love today?  

Would you go to any lengths to ensure your love is intact? 

A Godly Kind of love on Valentine’s Day:

What does God want from us in return for His love? 

He wants our hearts.  He wants us to love Him back.  He wants us to allow Him to save us.  

This kind of love is so far above any kind of Earthly love.  This Agape (Godly) love comes without strings attached or conditions.  His love is freely given to us.  Will you receive it?  Will you give Him your love as well?

 

-Just a thought for today.

 

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Finding the Melodies of Life (a metaphor of holiness) – Chapter 4 “Blaring for Jesus”

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Chapter 4

“Anything Blaring for Jesus”

(Corporate Holiness)

“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it.” -Halford E. Luccock

 

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”  -Andrew Carnegie

 

There’s an old saying about playing music that goes like this; “If you can’t hear the person next to you, then you’re probably playing too loudly.”  This applies in life under so many different categories as well.  There is a vast difference between hearing something and listening to something.  We can hear background noise, but hearing something does not mean that we are actively applying our sensory perception to that sound.  We hear a multitude of sounds every day all around us, yet we seldom apply our ears to actually listen to these sounds and noises, they are just background noise. 

 

When I was first able to play my cornet in a band setting, I was so proud of myself!  The practices alone in that little chapel had been paying off, and I was getting better at playing that brass instrument.  I could now play my “C” scale with very few mistakes, and my embouchure on that small metallic mouth piece was getting stronger with more confidence.  But there was a real danger in this overconfidence of mine; I wanted everyone to hear how good I was sounding.  I had these dreams of people standing up and applauding my amazing musical abilities, and so when we began to play our first song, “Anything for Jesus” in that little beginner band, I played as loudly as I possibly could.
 
too loud

I don’t think that the musical terminology “triple forte” could even begin to describe how loudly I played that song.  Perhaps a more appropriate description of that moment would be that I blasted the song “Anything for Jesus”…it should have been renamed “blaring for Jesus” right then and there.  The bandmaster stopped the song midway through a measure, and I thought to myself “he’s going to congratulate me on my performance, I hit every note and it sounded great!”  Instead of congratulating me, however, the bandmaster looked at me and said quite solemnly, “Scott, you are playing too loudly, so loudly in fact that I cannot hear anyone else!”  Then he looked at the entire band and said, “If you can’t hear the person next to you, then you are playing too loudly.”  His words stung me for a moment.  I thought I would receive a compliment for all of the hard work that could clearly be heard in the proficiency my playing, but instead I had been told to play softer.  I was so conscious of my own abilities and my own progress that I had failed to see the big picture in this beginner band.  I wanted everyone to hear ME and to say how greatly I had improved but I had failed to understand how important it was for the rest of the band to be heard as well. 

 

The disciples were arguing among themselves as they tried to figure out who would become the greatest in the kingdom.  They had been with Jesus for a while now and perhaps they felt that it was time to have some sort of “disciple midterm exam” to see how they ranked.  What I would have given to be a fly on that wall during that heated discussion, each disciple comparing their accomplishments and achievements, all the while vying for status a position, fame and recognition.  They didn’t get it.  Jesus had not selected His disciples for the purpose of notoriety and fame; instead He had selected those who were willing, those who were available and those who would serve.  Jesus interrupted their dispute because He knew what they were thinking and He responded to their shallowness and appetite for attention: “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”       (Luke 9:48)

 

Jesus still calls us to serve Him and to spread the good news of His mercy and salvation.  But our service isn’t about tooting our own horn for the sake of our glory and positional aspirations!  Corporate holiness has little room for “blaring for Jesus”, but has concert halls ready for the symphonic sounds of togetherness as we collectively strive to reflect Christ. 

 

Much Later…

These same disciples, post Ascension of Jesus, were gathered TOGETHER in prayer and complete submission before God.  As they yearned to hear from Him, they were united and joined together, prepared to play a tune that would shake the very foundation of the world…and still that tune is being played.  We call this moment Pentecost, for as they gathered together and yearned and prayed the Holy Spirit fell upon them and they were able to speak in the various tongues of those who had gathered in Jerusalem that day.  How were they able to do such an amazing thing that day?  The Holy Spirit did the work, of course, but how did the Holy Spirit fall upon them?  The answer is that they were together, united under one holy purpose and they had become the least of these in their humility and their service before God.  They had stopped blaring their own tune and begun to play the music of a holy calling.   

Ephesians 4:15-16 (NIV)
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

 

There is no doubt that individual holiness is crucial and should always precede corporate holiness, but without corporate holiness the band cannot improve, cannot become cohesive and cannot become synchronized.  We not only have a responsibility to play the music that God has called us play as an individual, but we have a responsibility to play the music in unity, together as a cohesive band.  When we can play the notes as a synchronized, single minded orchestra, the music then can become fuller and more pronounced as does the message of Christ. 

 

What we can learn from the Old Testament Hebrews –

The people of Israel, God’s chosen set-apart people, were to exercise qadosh not just as individuals but as a corporate body.  Sometimes we miss the point of why God had called His people to be set-apart.  We often misunderstand this to mean that the Jewish people were the only ones worthy enough of this claim, yet time and again they failed to live up to their calling.  We often misunderstand that their “setting-apart” to mean that they were some sort of exclusive club in which they were to look down their noses at others nations living in that same time and space.  The truth behind God’s purpose for setting the Jews apart was to show the rest of the world how to live.  God was showing the rest of the world how to be restored to their original created intent.  Being set-apart as a corporate body isn’t so that one part of the body can be “blaring for Jesus” and be seen by the rest of the world, but instead the corporate body can properly display and reveal the Holy Christ who brings restoration to everyone seeking Him.  Jesus came for the least of these, and still He desires this reconciliation of the world to Him regardless of race or creed. 

 

How is your corporate holiness today?  Is there cohesiveness and unity in the body of Christ where you serve?  Or are there many cornets blaring for Jesus, out of sync and far too loud for anything else to be heard?  Jesus desires us to play the music He has called us to play.  He desires us to become His reflection in this world and to be joined/grafted into His body which is His mouth piece here on earth.  Unfortunately, this synchronized unity rarely remains intact in churches today.  Oh if we would just humble ourselves, become the least, ready to serve instead of being served.  Perhaps like me you need to stop playing at triple forte so that others in the band can be heard.  Remember, if you can’t hear the person next to you then perhaps you’re playing to loudly.  

 

(tune Anything for Jesus)

Jesus thou hast won us,

Saved us set us free

Now Thy hand upon us,

Bids us follow Thee.

Sin’s dark ways forsaking

Filled with new desire

We, our vows are making

‘Neath the blood and fire.

 

(chorus)

Lord our vow performing

We will fight for Thee

Hell’s dominions storming

Other souls to free

 

2.  Comrades here remind us

We are not alone,

Thou to them dost bind us,

They and we are one;

All, our vows observing,

One great Army make;

Praying, fighting, serving

For thy Kingdom’s sake.

 

3.  On to full salvation,

This shall be our goal;

Thine in consecration,

Body, mind and soul;

On to holy living,

Weakness left behind;

Perfect service giving,

Perfect joy to find.

Previous Chapters:
https://pastorsponderings.org/2014/02/06/finding-the-melodies-of-life-a-metaphor-of-holiness-introduction/
https://pastorsponderings.org/2014/02/07/finding-the-melodies-of-life-a-metaphor-of-holiness-chapter-1/
https://pastorsponderings.org/2014/02/10/finding-the-melodies-of-life-a-metaphor-of-holiness-chapter-2-finding-your-voice/
https://pastorsponderings.org/2014/02/11/finding-the-melodies-of-life-a-metaphor-of-holiness-chapter-3-practice-makes-qadosh/

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