Spiritual Side of Things

Waiting....

2010-10-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

I hate waiting.

It's not that I'm not patient, its just that I'm worried while waiting the thing that I'm waiting for will never come.

Whether it be waiting for the microwave to ding for my food or just standing on something that God has promised me. The suspense kills me.

Waiting is the time period that we really see if we can trust God or just give up.

It would be easy if things were instant, but then we wouldn't really have to trust God for anything. We would just know.

Maybe that's just it.

Nobody wants to trust anybody these days. Why should God be any different?

Trust is a tough thing to give, but if you can't give it to somebody you can't get in return.

Just saying.

It's okay I can wait for your answer.

Why you need to leave your church...

2010-09-21T21:48:00.000-07:00

Got ya! This article is not really encouraging people, but to list the reasons why you should never leave your church. It seems that no matter how much you say your committed to your church, there are moments that you think of leaving to go to another church. Switching churches should be an infrequent activity, as our responsibility as followers of Christ to to build and support the local church. Surely, from both a biblical perspective and a practical perspective it is impossible to achieve any level of effectiveness if we're changing churches every few years. If you do find yourself at a crossroads of switching churches, or feel God is leading you elsewhere be sure to answer these important questions.

1. Am I upset or offended by anything?

Even if it is time for you to go, if there is someone who has offended you in the church, deal and make that right, before you even think of leaving the church. Being offended is the most common reason of leaving the church, and the worst way to leave. If you don't deal with things in your current church, where you know forgiveness has been achieved in its fullest form in your position, you will find your problems will follow you to a new church.

2. You disagree with leadership

Beyond a MAJOR change from biblical morals, having a different opinion from leadership is normal and is also no reason to leave a church. It is easy to submit and honor when you agree, but the real test of your honor is if you can submit through difference of opinion.

3. The church doesn't have the right programs for you or your family.

Remember, how the church exists to reach and save the lost. Let it be about that for your family and not whether there is an incredible youth or children's program. Teach your kids to be leaders in their on right and to focus on reaching their own friends and not whether the church has something to offer them.

That's it, if you pass these three tests you should be prepared to move in. Except that it seems that this rules a lot of people out. In fact, maybe a better way to think of your church is like a family. You would think long and hard about leaving your family, right?

Dear Anti-Prosperity Preacher

2010-09-11T22:23:00.000-07:00

I try to not get too fired up, about what people do in other churches.
I really believe that like minds attract, and the diversity of churches will be the key to attracting people from all walks of life into the kingdom.

Yes, not what I’m talking about in this blog, but I kind of like the idea of different denominations and movements.

Anyway, generally everyone has their own ways of doing things and that’s fine with me. Oh, and I think God supports the idea as well.

But....

Nothing makes me slam your book faster, stop downloading your podcast, or generally get fired up if you knock prosperity.

If I’m really honest, and I can be, because it’s my blog, it just makes you sound stupid.

Do you really think you can reach the world without money?

Think about it world hunger is a multi-billionaire dollar problem. Do you really think we can solve it by praying about or sending out young adults to blame the rich for the problem?

That’s right....sometime like if all the richest people in the world gave their wealth we would solve the world’s problems.

Not sure if you were aware, but the biggest donors to the world’s problems are the rich, and it’s not because there rich. Extreme generosity attracts wealth.

That’s not even the whole deal.

Preachers that criticize prosperity preachers fancy cars, or so-called lavish lifestyles.

Why do you waste you time?

Paul said it best that if your conscience is clear with it, let it be.

When your criticize it, it only makes everyone look bad to the world.

I’m just saying.

It takes a lot of money to reach the world.

Stop criticizing people that have it, and go make some.

Quit Blaming Hollywood

2010-08-28T21:21:00.001-07:00

If I get one more advertisement from any organization or read another book about how Hollywood is killing young people I'm going scream. Do you know what movies, television, and media do? They sell what sells. So, really their not really influencing anything. They're not setting a culture, they are just responding to what consumers are buying. It's not that I think everybody in Hollywood is an example of incredible christian values. I think Hollywood is neutral. If tomorrow, Christian values became popular in western culture, the media would change to reflect that. It's about making great art and big profits. Those goals in itself are not immoral or wrong. Make no mistake the content that evolves from these goals is often less than pure, but considering that most of Hollywood is an entirely secular culture, do you really expect them to all of sudden be championing Christian values? Remember the verse, that the gospel is foolishness to those who don't believe. This probably applies to this situation. Now, wait a minute, what about those young Hollywood celebrities? You know, Lindsay Lohan, Ashton Kutcher, are they really good role models? Well, no. But, why do they need to be role models? Because, the men, women and parents in church are too busy blaming Hollywood, that they're not being the role models. How would you feel if just because your teenager has some skills in some areas there whole life becomes the standard on which all teenagers are measured by? Can you imagine the pressure? I'm not sure that most young people would be able to handle it? It might cause them to make some poor decisions. Especially, if they were not instilled with great values before, which most don't. I wonder if we make it easier for them to constantly be criticized. I doubt it.

It's not that I'm pro-Hollywood, well, actually I am. I think that God wants us to reach them too. So, stop blaming Hollywood, start spending time with young people, and see if you being in their life has a bit more of an influence than how many times Lindsay Lohan enters rehab.

The Main Thing

2010-08-20T23:56:00.000-07:00

People get so distracted in church.

They have problems with money and giving. No time to serve. They disagree with the leaders. Don't like this. Don't like that. Who cares?

If the main thing is the main thing, then it doesn't really matter.

If we really first value reaching people and seeing them become radical followers of Christ. Then everything else is really secondary.

We can't get offended and stop going to church. Why? Because, no matter what the local church is the place in which people are able to become disciples of Christ. So, if its really about the main thing, then we got to still keep showing up at church.

Talking about money shouldn't make us mad. Why? Because the money that is given to the house of God is used to reach people. You know? The main thing. So, if we really care about the main thing then we have no problem giving.

Leaders of a church want to reach people, right? Or do people become leaders in church, because of the lucrative salary packages or short hours. Of course not? They want to reach people, so if they want to reach people doesn't it make sense to honor their leadership. Unless, we really don't care about the main thing.

Just saying, shouldn't it be about the main thing.

Let me get the rulebook

2010-07-31T23:33:00.000-07:00

I laughed when I recently saw someone try to to find the loophole in an employee handbook that would cause them to get promotion. The only problem is the person they were trying to appeal to wrote the book.

Christians are kind of like this.

We don't want to sin if we're going to get punished. But, what if the bible doesn't say anything about it, its probably not wrong, right? Or maybe something is only wrong if you go all the way and not if you do everything, but? So, we live our life doing things exactly what the bible says and nothing else, but that's our rulebook.

This is all true, but sin's not that simple. Sin is not really about exactly what we can find in the bible. Imagine explaining to your wife that you weren't technically cheating, you weren't doing anything that wasn't clearly stated as being wrong in your marriage vows. It wouldn't change the feelings of betrayal and hurt. Yet, we do this to God all the time.

You see, when we really love God it stops being about "technically" and starts being about "because I love God". I do things and not do things not because I'm obligated to, but because I love God, and I want to do things that please him and don't hurt him.
In fact, if we just thought this and believed this we'd probably save a lot of debate over what's right and wrong.

This motivation alone, it would change everything. Everything.

Grace: It's Not What You Think

2010-07-24T23:58:00.000-07:00

Grace is a hard concept to figure out.

Here's what I know so far. Man sins. Man sins again. And again. It starts out that God makes people atone for their sins by offering sacrifices in the form of food or dead animals, but after a while it's clear that the compounding problem of sin, cannot be made amends by a few meek sacrifices. So, we change the rule book. Jesus comes down to earth, takes a brutal punishment, and makes amends for every sin that has been or will be committed. Done. Well, I guess. Except that there are still questions like, why even be good at all it's all forgiven? Is there something that can't be forgiven? Can I sin too much?

It seems necessary that the only way to understand grace is to understand relationships. Do your purposefully try to hurt or let down your spouse, kids, or family? Most people would and should give a resounding no to this question. But, that doesn't mean that we don't still let down and hurt the people we love. In a healthy relationship, we forgive and move on. There is no amount of times that it's too much, and even though we're forgiven we rarely desire to repeat the situation. Perhaps, this is the same attitude that we must take with God. Do we desire to let him down? Do we desire to hurt him? If we really love God, we will do the things that make him happy! However, the great thing about grace is that those time when we do make him unhappy, he forgives and keeps no records of wrongs.

I understand all this, but maybe the issue if I'm honest is that when I'm sinning I don't think about how this is hurting God. In fact, I'm pretty good at separately God from parts of my life. But, that's the issue. If I really loved God I would let him into every area of my life, and I probably would have a harder time sinning, knowing that I'm hurting God.

Grace is being able to have second chances that make us able to do something differently the second time.

Jesus said "If you love me, you'll obey my commandants"

So, maybe it's not grace or sin, but being able to realize that the more we have God in our life, the easier it is to give and receive grace. Grace is the gift that God has given to us, but to fully understand it we must focus on learning to love God, then we will truly know what it means to be forgiven.

Individualism: I don't think so

2010-07-09T01:04:00.000-07:00

Make no mistake I think that every person that walks into the church ought to be allowed to come exactly as they are. No matter what they look like. Or what they dress like. Jesus cautioned us to be like this and to accepting of all people or we would be judged. I get all this.

But....

This is about accepting people in the church, not about allowing people do whatever they want whenever they want. Let me explain. Suppose you decide to wear an ugly pink hat with an animal on it to church. It's your choice, right? Why do you wear the hat, because its you and you want to express your individualism. During the service, people constantly look and stare at your hat. In fact, after church no one remembers the message, just the hat. No one gets saved, no one get set free, because they are paying too much attention to your terrible hat. Yes, its true you got to express your individualism, but what did you accomplish? Everyone was distracted. This is a pretty extreme example.

I'm not against people expressing their style. I do it all the time. It's not just about what you wear either. It's how you talk, how you act. Is it really worth it for me to express myself at the cost of distracting the gospel? I'm not really talking about people in the church, but people on the platform or the worship team. It seems people get so offended by some small guidelines when their on the platform. But, at the end of the day I want it all to be about people encountering God and hearing the gospel. Well, it's there fault if they get distracted. You think, is it really worth it?

The church is about us depending on people to enhance our life. It's not about us going at it by ourselves. So, really our life is not about individualism, but interdependence. We need other people. And. Shock. Horror. Sometimes we'll change a little bit for the people around us. We're not losing ourselves, we're just becoming a part of the community.

But, that's just what I think

Do you really mean everything?

2009-03-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 14:16:

"Do everything in love"

It's a short verse. In fact, all Paul is really done is passing out his closing remarks and greetings to the Corinthian Church. Yet, this verse hits means. Why? Because when you really think about it. It changes everything. These four words affect everything we do, everything we say, how we spend our money, how we spend our time, every choice we make....the list goes on. It changes everything.

This means I watch what I say. I always prefer others. I never try to put people in their place. I don't ever want people to be given the impression that I think I'm better than them. I even watch how things can be perceived. I look at the room and I'm careful to consider other people' s feelings in terms of where they are in their life journey and also in relation to their experiences.

This means I watch my attitude. I am careful to not be negative but to always see the positive spin of things. I always build up and encourage rather than tear down. I am aware that people are attracted or repelled by my attitude.

I don't do things just because I can do things. I don't try to offend people but I believe and think that the apostle Paul was right when he said not to cause your brother to stumble. So I avoid some indulgences simple and silly as they may be, because I care more about people than doing my thing.

I've heard that compromise is a great quality of relationships, but I think a more suiting one would be sacrifice. Love means sacrifice. Love means giving up. Isn't this what Jesus thought it was?

Twitter-It could build the church!!!

2009-03-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

With some many different forms of connection it can sometimes seem overwhelming or downright pointless to add another program or application to everyday needs. So why use twitter? I've compiled a list of reasons that hopefully will when you over to using this valuable tool.

1. Twitter make connection faster

There is some communication that requires a timely streamline information. Things happen last-minute. Emergencies happen fast that require a lot of people to know and to know quickly. The amount of time required to track people down and even phone them pales in comparison to the amount of time to send a "tweet". There are plenty of times that we look at a situation after the fact and we think if only we could've been better organized and let more people know. Twitter enables us to do that.

2. Allows us to carry on multiple conversations

There are plenty of times that I'm leaving church and I'm trying to connect with as many people as possible, and it become difficult to connect with everyone and to have a very meaningful conversation. Twitter enables me to connect with as many people as possible and carry on constant conversation with them in a way that is convenient for them.

3. Last-Minute Advertising

Alot of times after an event people remark that if they just forgot and that's why they didn't attend. It seems no matter how many cards and video announcements we have people still forget at the last minute. By sending a quick "Tweet" I can remind those less than organized people about an event right before it happens.

4. Quicker and more efficient way of sharing resources

Ever found a blog or a video that you wanted everyone to read or see. Twitter makes it easy to re-tweet those to people in the church very quickly.

5. Allows Inspired

People are always in different places in what they're doing, but I find that when I follow people there is always someone who seems to be fighting the same things you are and needless to say it keeps me encouraged to keep going.

6. Keeps you aware of where you need to be praying

With twitter you can identify immediate things to pray for. It's easy to go through your twits and pray through all the things going on in every body's world.

7. Allows people to communicate in non-threatening environment

People often find it easier to communicate in an environment that is not face-face, and because of this they are more open about what they really think and feel and it gives us a better picture it to how better to help them.

8. Easier way to advertise to friends

When something is going on its easy to retweet the details on the event to friends that you want to invite. If nothing else it will spark their curiosity about God.

9. Always easy and quicker encouragement and cheering on

With twitter it is easy to see what's going and a little five word tweet of encouragement can go a long way to helping someone in their day.

Well, that's something it get you started. The apostle Paul perhaps has the best point when he said that he tries to reach people by whatever means possible. Twitter is just another means possible to reach people. Tweet-On!

The Funeral Psalm

2009-03-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

Psalm 23:

The Lord is my Shepherd, and I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me besides still waters,

he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his names' sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

for you are with me.

Your rod and your staff;

they comfort me

You prepare a table for me

in the presence of my enemies

You anoint my head with oil,

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Most people know this psalm. It's the one you hear at funeral. In fact, it doesn't matter whether you know God or not, you've heard this psalm. Oddly enough this psalm has more to do with empowerment and a stand on your chair and shout it feeling than it is with a somber funeral.

Let's take a look:

The lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want

The first thing to note here is the obvious "the lord is my". We can only function in the kingdom of God when we have chosen to become a part of it. The Shephard indicates that we have chosen to be under the lordship of Jesus Christ and we have chosen to be under his authority and positioning. Some people get everything else right, but they move somewhere or go somewhere that outside of the will of God for their life and they become ineffective, and they wonder what happened. They walked out of the care of the Shepherd. When we become a follower of Christ, our empty soul becomes full, and because our soul is full that would be enough. So everything else in addition to knowing Christ is a bonus! When we live our life with this mentality we will find its much easy to give and much easier for God to bless us, because we won't hold on too things tightly when we realize that everything in our life is just the icing on top of an already prosperous soul.

he makes me lie down in green pastures

he leads me besides still water

he restores my soul.

God is capable of fixing any situation. He takes us from the most tumultuous times and calms everything. Your whole life can change in one moment. Your life could be hell on earth, but one conversation, opportunity, or a check in the mail can change everything.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his names sake

Christians sometimes have this wacky mentality that God is only with you when we're always doing good. God is with us all the time once we become a follower of Christ. It's never God that chooses to walk away from us rather us that chooses to walk away from God. Ironically enough God is so on your side that sometimes he gives "freebies". God sometimes keeps us away from situations that we could mess up on for the sake of his name becoming famous.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

I fear no evil for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me

There will be dark times in life, but God promises to be with us and to be the shining light. God leads us with the rod and staff and when we learn to follow him and allow him to lead we will discover a supernatural peace.

You Prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies

God gives us favor when we are with people that have chosen to oppose us. This psalm says that God will put us eye to eye with our enemies and we will not be shamed but be able to find common ground with them.

You anoint my head with oil and my cup overflows

God has given us more than we even need to accomplish his will for us. We may not always see his provision, but he's given us an overflowing cup that gives us more than enough to accomplish any task.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life

There will be times of trials and tribulation but the promise of God is that they are followed by good things and the love of God. God may allow us to be tested but he loves to pour out his goodness and love on us, because that is the nature of a father.

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever

And the punchline it comes back to where we are planted and that is the house of God. God lives in his house and to be able to relate to him on a regular basis we need to be where he is. The blessing of God is available when we are planted in a place to be in line with the will of God.

Good times. Bad Times. God remains the same. His promises remain constant and true. So whether we are walking through dark days or having the time of our lives, remember God is with us caring and tending us. Just like a Shepherd does.

Do christians really have to believe the same thing?

2009-03-07T22:06:00.000-08:00

This week as I was leading a meeting I overheard some dialogue that has started to become very common when I'm talking to people who are just beginning their spiritual journey. They were talking about what is was exactly that they had to believe to be a christian. Do they really need to believe in something as horrific and nasty as hell? Surely the fact that people that don't accept Christ can be damned there seems very inconsistent with this loving gentle God that is so common in the sunday school classes where most kids have their first encounter of the idea that there might be a God that exists that created the whole universe. While we're on the subject of creation actually do we really need to believe in this whole creation thing? Could God have created evolution? The bible does talk about God's timeline being very different from ours. One thousand years being like a day. Is it possible that maybe it wasn't really seven days that the earth was created? Maybe it was seven thousand years or seven million years. I'm not sure I'm ready to jump on the boat that says that maybe both creation and evolution are both right and both happened, but I can't help to wonder is this something that really matters? When we get to heaven and we're judged for how we spent our time on earth is this something that God is really going to care about? What about all these sins we talk about? Which ones really matter? Its easy to get the murder and adultery type ones, but what abut all those people in church that complain or gossip? Are those sins that don't apply? Also on this subject why is it that some sins seem to be way worse than others? There sure seems to be a lot of hoopla over stuff like homosexuality and abortion. You definitely can't be unsure of whether you think that stuff is wrong or not? Or can you? There are plenty of good arguments that talk about if you really interpret the scriptures to do with homosexuality that you find they were talking about only promiscuous adulterous one-night stands and the scriptures aren't really talking about homosexuality in a committed relationship? Again, not really something that I'm set to accept, and I can easily say that I'm still prone to believe that simple body functions led us to believe that God may have pretty much intended for us to just have the man and women thing, but does homosexuals getting married really change the definition of marriage? My marriage sure doesn't mean anything different? And couldn't the church except people with these struggles and vices and not really agree with them, but realize that eventually when we truly follow Christ, read his word, pray and figure out what it means to be a follower of Christ that we tend to naturally figure out the things that are wrong or right? It goes back to that whole flesh vs. spirit and you increase and I decrease thing. You know the more I get of the spirit of God the more I tend to think like him, act like him, and respond like him. In fact, I think that's the best way to get rid of sin. Just get more into the things of God then sin will have no room to dwell in our life. Anyway, back to the question what do Christians have to believe to be a christian? Well, its no secret that churches have there differences. They differ on everything from theology to dress code. Who's right? Who's wrong? Will getting these things right be things that matter to God? The answer is simple I think. It can't be about believing in God. The bible says even the demons got that one down. In fact, maybe its not about what we believe that matters, but what we do. No matter what we believe it will be the things the actually do that will be remembered that will count for eternity. Then, what is it that we do the all Christians must do to be called a follower of Christ? Let's add another element, we have become pretty accosted to saying that we as Christians are not into religion we're into relationships, so being a Christian is about having a relationship with God. So, what's a relationship? It's about talking, dialogue, relating, growing, and that's just the start. Therefore, it is pretty reasonable to assume that to be a follower of Christ we have a relationship with him by talking to him (sounds like prayer), getting to know him (again prayer, but the word of God might help to), and doing things with him (you'll probably find this in the bible as well what this might include). Sounds pretty simple. It is actually, because once we do these things pray, get into the word of God, get into the house of God, get around other followers, we'll start to realize that the question of what do we need to believe becomes irrelevant, because we won't just compare notes from church to church, denomination to denomination, or even follower to follower. We'll live our life with Revelation that comes from truly knowing the character of God and that in itself will give us the answers and what really matters? Will everyone come to same conclusions? No, that's impossible God is that big and we're too small. That really doesn't matter though, because I don't need someone elses revelation of God. I need my own. Does God give different revelations of who he is to people? Absolutely! Why? Because we're different and we have different life missions to reach different people. Perhaps, its all best summed up by something that Rob Bell says: "God has spoken, everything else is commentary".