Calling… the freaks, the geeks, the rejects and the not good enough!

Mark 2:13-17 (NIV)
¹³Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. ¹⁴As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

The sounds of the crowd echoed off of the small lean-to as they passed. Some of the people scowled as they walked by then shaking their heads in disgust and finally disappearing out of sight. This repeated numerous times within the hour, and the occupier of the rickety shack was used to the looks his line of work emitted from the population. He was a tax collector after all, and the reputation of such an established profession was despised by most and avoided by the rest. The whispers and cursing under the breath was all a part of the hazards of the job. He lets the moment pass by, exhales a deep breath, and then bends over the weathered table again to resume his work.

He is so consumed with his “paperwork” that he almost misses the most epic moment of his life. As the sound of rustling paper replaces the echoes of the passing crowd he begins to sense that he is being watched. He looks up from the stack of papers still needing to be inspected, and sees a man looking directly at him. He doesn’t know how long the man had been there just looking at him, but the tax collector is nervous. “No one looks directly at a tax collector” He thinks to himself, “Why is he just staring at me?” he wonders. Then the most peculiar thing happens. The man calls this collector of taxes by name, “Levi, come with me” He says. For a moment, for one single solitary moment, Levi is absolutely still, as if he is firmly glued to the ground within his work space. “I can’t just get up and go…can I?” He wonders to himself. His entire future hinges on this one pivotal moment in time and he doesn’t know it yet. On one hand if he says “no I’m not going anywhere, I have work to do” then things will remain the same. Taxes will be collected, harsh expressions on faces, and he will always be unwanted within many social circles around town. On the other hand, if Levi does go with this teacher what will happen? What will happen to his family? Will he be able to return home? So much hinges on this decision, so many variables and yet Levi, finding the strength to move once more picks himself up and makes the decision to follows Jesus.

Levi, known to us by the name of Matthew made a crucial decision that day which would not only change his life, but the lives of all those who would one day read his writings also known as the gospel of Matthew, one of the four gospels of Jesus Christ.

Isn’t it amazing that Jesus selected a tax collector, a profession despised by most people in society to help him spread His story of redemption to the world! Among his other disciples were the rejects, outcasts and the not-good enoughs. He turned the world upside down with His message of love, redemption and grace. He used both men and women, Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, the educated and the street smart to convey this all inclusive message to the lost, seeking, and broken.

Still today, the Lord calls to you and to me to follow Him! We may be far from perfect. We may be lacking education, self-confidence, social and peer acceptance and many other inadequacies. Yet He calls us, and can use us if we are available to accept His direction for our lives. Matthew couldn’t have imagined that day where Jesus would lead him, yet he followed. We too are asked to do the same. “Follow me” Jesus says to us…what will your answer be?

February 12, 2013 0

Prayer: connecting the finite with the infinite

“Children do not find it difficult or complicated to talk to their parents, nor do they feel embarrassed to bring the simplest need to their attention. Neither should we hesitate to bring the simplest requests confidently to the Father.” –Richard Foster

Prayer is often misused, abused, and treated more like a bartering system with God than a moment by moment, daily conversation with our Father in Heaven. It’s something that we’re all guilty of, but if we are to grow, we need to adjust and change our perception and importance of prayer in our lives. Brother Lawrence once said on the topic of prayer; “One way to recollect the mind easily in the time of prayer, and preserve it more in tranquility, is not to let it wander too far at other times. You should keep it strictly in the presence of God; and being accustomed to think of Him often, you will find it easy to keep your mind calm in the time of prayer, or at least to recall it from its wanderings.”

Misconceptions of Prayer:

We are obligated to pray.

Prayer should not be considered an obligation. If we feel as if it is our duty to pray and that we are forced into prayers of penitence, petition and supplication then we are more inclined to just go through the motions with little or no true significance or meaning. When prayer becomes routine and obligatory we lose the true significance of communing and fellowshipping with our God who greatly desires a moment by moment inclusion in our day.

Prayer is like a fire alarm.

We only pull the fire alarm in a building if we are in great need of help and for the fire department to come out and extinguish a fire. We sometimes treat our prayer life like this as well. We think that God is only available to us in times of need. It’s like the quote “as long as there are tests there will be prayer in school”. We often treat our communications with God as if they are for emergencies only. We pray prayers like; “Lord if you get me out of this situation I will…,” and the fire alarm of prayer is pulled and we expect God to honor our cries for help when our discipline of prayer in all seasons is nonexistent.

We have to pray in King James Vocabulary.

Believe it or not, God doesn’t want our big and lofty words when we pray. He doesn’t require of us to speak eloquently by using words like Thee and Thou and speaketh…if you don’t talk like that to your friends and family then why would you need to speak to God in that manner? Of course we are to be reverent before God, but that doesn’t mean we need to have all the right words and pray with intricately crafted archaic speech. God knows who you are, He knows where you come from and He will meet you where you are at in your life right now. He doesn’t need us to speak in a way that is foreign to us. Simply communicating to Him as we would our friends and family is what is best and most sincere when it comes to prayer.

The Facts on Prayer:

We need to discipline our minds and hearts when we pray! Prayer is more of a constant conversation with our God than just about kneeling at our bedsides before bed time. He wants us to talk to Him and include Him in our daily routines through a moment by moment relationship to Him. Prayer can and will become much, much deeper when we train our thoughts and surrender who we are to Him with every opportunity that we get. It might be one of the most difficult things that ever do, many times we will fail, yet if and when we train our thought processes to constantly consider God in our conversations, actions and decisions, our perspectives, priorities and motives will drastically change! Prayer is a mighty and powerful thing that connects the finite with the Infinite! When we can find true discipline within our thought processes to consider the Almighty in every aspect of our lives, our spiritual walk and relationship to Him will greatly deepen and we will wonder how we ever lived without this deep connection to our Father in Heaven.

February 8, 2013 2

On Pathways…past, present, future.

Perhaps time has been kind. Often I think about this and wonder what or where I might be if roads, that I have been on had taken slight forks or curved and bent on out into the distance. It’s not so much a shoulda, coulda, woulda; but more of a existential pondering of sorts.

My mind sometimes drifts to college days, when all my concerns consisted of getting homework assignments in on time and staying up way past my bed time to complete things long procrastinated on…as they say, those were the days…but not really. Though friendships were bonded like gorilla glue to my fingers, I don’t recall glory days while on the campus of academia. But I do wonder about this path, if I had trodden too softly in one placement of my feet where it may have taken me…or where I might be today should I had taken an earlier exit convening off into another destination. As I’ve said before it’s not about regret, merely consideration…ponderings.

Which brings me to my next line of reasoning…here goes…brace yourself…ok: does God have a specific course for our lives? My answer might surprise you…for me it would be no…that doesn’t mean faithfulness doesn’t play into it all or that I would have done anything differently. But the God I know doesn’t work like that. We aren’t controlled or forced to do anything, like some sort of pet on a leash…free will for us all means just that. Our walkways, pathways, country roads and cobble stone avenues are chosen by us. God may do some convicting, prodding, convincing and other means of conversation along the way, but these selections of ours…are just that.

Still, my path is wearing thin the treads on these running shoes, I am caked in the dust I’ve stirred up along the way…but I’m happy. I may have a skinned knee or two, some scars to prove I’m by far not the most graceful sojourner on these travels…but I would be a fool if I have not learned a thing or two along the way. I’ve learned that not all leaders are right, some as human as they come, fall, make mistakes, and hurt our pride, souls and curve out pieces of our hearts…no one ever said it was going to be easy. Still other leaders, their foot prints I follow along this path…they have loved and left impression upon who I thought I was and who I am striving to be…diamonds in the rough. There are friends who befriend you for but a short time, perhaps with ill intentions, ambitions and selfish motivations then paths take different directions, some infect us for better or worse – all of it making us strong because of it. While other friends, on journeys on their own come along side us, love us for who we are not who they’ve perceived us to be and better us by challenging us, sticking up for us and going to hell and back for us – these come but once or twice in a life time (I have found). Isn’t it interesting what life brings to us from time to time?

I’m not sure where my path will lead me…but I’m content to be faithful, I’m content to keep on moving…But I won’t be content to settle, become static and/or fade away…no there are bigger fish to fry so to speak. They say Iron sharpens Iron…I’m getting sharper everyday (I hope), and with these razor’s edges I hope I don’t cut myself, fall upon my blade tripped up by pride, arrogance or foolishness. Yes I’m not sure where my path will lead me…But I will be faithful. Steady as it comes.

January 27, 2013 0

John 3:16 (More than a Church thang, it’s a love thang!)

John 3:16…

“For God so loved that world that He gave His only son, so that whosoever believes in Him, will not perish, but have everlasting life”

we needed saving, we’re hopelessly lost, our life is literally going to hell in a hand-basket and what does this passage of scripture tell us? God loved us. It’s like giving your watch to a bank robber…it doesn’t seem to make sense. We don’t deserve such grace, and yet grace is just what we get with God.

God gave us His one and only son…so we wouldn’t have to die eternally…so that we could once again have a relationship with our Creator. This Son of God’s, was perfect, without sin, and He sacrifices his life for ours…so that his blood now covers our ocean of sin.

I’m not sure about you, but when I read this passage of scripture I don’t just think, “yeah I’ve heard that passage many times in church and Sunday school”; but I now think “Wow…I don’t deserve it…and yet it’s there for me!”

Christmas just came and went. and during that holiday season – kids will be kids and ask for so many things that it drives parents crazy, yet we know that we love them and we desire to give them what they need not what they want.

In God’s case, however, he gave us what we need and what we will want for all time. To be loved. The next time that you feel unloved…think again. You may not have your friends or family around you at that moment, it may hurt, the circumstances around you may not be great, but YOU ARE LOVED!

I want to challenge you to cry out to God in your times of need and in your times of plenty. Know that you have been thought of from the beginning of time and God wants a relationship with you!

January 23, 2013 0

At the Ski Lodge

In the Ski lodge

Fried food lingers

to pores, plaster

and particle board walls

it’s a teenage wasteland

of sorts

acne and cells phones

tightly wrapped

in Northface coats

down knockoffs

mittens and scarves

and blistered feet

are engulfed in boots

too tight

strapped, locked in

and ready for

another downward

plunge.

Idle chatter coats

The tables and chairs

Like syrups of soda

Spilled, layered and sticking

To everything it touches.

Youth lined in coats of safety

Safely glance, withdrawing

And glancing again

Lacking confidence

Coughing nervously

Courageously trying, failing…

Picking themselves up off

Of the powered snow

Brushing off illusions

Of rejection, injecting

Infected bruised pride

With another shot of

Laughter, red faced

Not just frost bite

Teasing the cheeks and nose

This is living

ski lifts, hot cups of cocoa

Steaming , engulfing souls in this

Wasteland,

retrieving mitten hands

Gathering up scarves and hats

Destined for that big jump

That may or may not come

Accompanied with chances

Of bruised pride, ribs and

Collar bones… those that

Are free, full of fried food

Ferry up the slope again

Fighting off such feelings

Of failure,

It’s all downhill

from there.

January 21, 2013 0

Soldiers on Respite

A poem…hope you like it, let me know what you think!

January 17, 2013 0

Crushed, Mushed, Yet Persistent

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!

January 17, 2013 2

Soldiers on respite

We comb back our hair

Frayed and tattered by the wind

Greased pulled back stumped fingers

sometimes biting at the bit

checking faces in mirrors

is this really me?

Is my tie on straight?…

It all culminates

Begins

And while battered

And bruised

Blistered and subjected

To cruel worlds of selfishness

We straightened our ties

Exhale,

breathe deeply

Stand up tall

And go back out into it

While in the background

The piano strikes up

A somber tune

Out of tune

Ringing down the corridor

Echoing off of the

“welcome, come again” mat

Springing through ringlets

Primed by fingers with nails

Chewed too low

And we hum along

To the song

Onward we those

Christian soldiers…

Now where did I leave

That war?

January 14, 2013 0

The Age of Worry and Ice Roads

Is it ironic that I’m listening to “The Age of Worry” by John Mayer while outside of this metallic shell of a vehicle the ice has formed, dark in some patches, glare in others, smashed and jagged in others – worry in every aspect of “safe travel”!

Outside there is a sense of apprehension in the air. Drivers, pedestrians, the unseen angels are collectively holding their breath and perhaps the bank of prayers are receiving additional deposits today…some in the form of I.O.U’s, others pre-paid, while some “fast-cash”…though prayer is prayer even in times of need and protection.

“This is the age of worry…and say worry get out of here!”

Be safe, where ever you may be today, and I hope that you make plenty of deposits in the prayer bank today, tomorrow and in all kinds of weather!

January 11, 2013 1

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!

January 10, 2013 3

Tag: Life