This is long overdue...
Today at Imago Dei ( the community of folks I do life with...some call it church, ha) Charlie talked about JOY. And he read James 1:2-4 and spoke of the tension we have in finding joy in the tough times/trials and what exactly that means. i feel like i UNDERSTAND it...specifically because of what i've gone through in the last year. Many of you know this has been a RIDICULOUS year for me in terms of life situations and in terms of spirtual/emotional growth and maturity. And I want to take just a second to reflect on how GOD was IN that and thank all those who have been a part of helping 2008 go from the worst year of my life to perhaps the best year of my life...
James 1:2-4
"Consider it PURE joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
consider it it pure joy when you face trials?
As Charlie said, "Really?"
You can't be serious James. You obviously have noooo idea what i've been through!
My dad just died of cancer...PURE joy?
My car was just totaled...PURE joy?
I was just diagnosed with a particular disease...PURE joy?
My relationship/MARRIAGE has failed...PURE joy?
He/She wronged me...PURE joy?
I just lost my job...PURE joy?
I have no food to eat and no place to lay my head...PURE joy?
(FYI not all of these things happened to me..some are just examples)
The list goes on...and James tells us to consider those things and still be joyful. Now as Charlie talked about this I couldn't help but think of redemption. We serve a God of redemption. I'm sure that as Christ was being led to the Cross and as they beat him and flogged him he wasn't thinking what a joyous occasion that was. Joy is NOT necessarily happiness or a good time. Joy is not SITUATIONAL. but even though Jesus was going through all that he knew what as going to come on SATURDAY. He understood that even though he felt that way then, that God had a plan, all He had done through Jesus and taught through Him up to that point would culminate on the cross and then in his resurrection and at Pentecost, there was hope in what was to come and IN THAT, he could find JOY.
God WILL REDEEM.
The joy I have is deeply connected to the REDEMPTION I have experienced IN ME. 6 months ago I couldn't have told you how things would get better. no clue. in fact at that time i felt like things would never get better. now you have to understand that God didn't FIX the problem that was at hand. i didn't understand why not. But now as I look back i can see how God began to REDEEM me despite the problem. That's usually how God works. We tend to expect HIM to always FIX things. But sometimes life and our brokenness and others freewill and our own (which He will ALWAYS honor) don't allow for the fixing of life's problems but if we allow Him to, God will REDEEM US internally. we trust that SATURDAY will come. Charlie said that a theologian calls it,
"the eschatological expectancy of joy"
which is a fancy way for saying that IN Christ we have this assurance that in the future (eschatology) things will be better (redeemed).
James is helping us understand that just because we are IN Christ and have committed ourselves to Him DOES NOT guarantee that bad things won't happen to us. (don't by into that prosperity gospel/happy happy happy/ best life now BULL %$*@) Life is messy. Bad things WILL still happen to us. But when they do, are you gonna let it ruin you or let it shape you. it's going to do either or. there is no in-between. and James encourages us to consider those things PURE joy because God is going to redeem you on the inside! there is JOY in that! Let those things makes us mature! Persevere because SATURDAY is coming...REDEMPTION is on it's way!
I can't tell you how things exactly got to where they are for me today but I can look back over this last half-year and see how God orchestrated things around me and in me that have truly REDEEMED me and given me HOPE. There is SO MUCH JOY in that. I could not have done it without him and the people around me. Charlie said that the mark of believers, those who claim to follow Christ, is that when the pooh hits the fan ( he didn't say that, i did), we still remain faithful to Him and seek Him. We don't let life's circumstances knock us off track in our pursuit of and partaking in the "upside-down kingdom". I couldn't have remained faithful without the community of those around me...
Jeff, I miss the heck out of you. thank you for being there for me. for crying with me, listening to me, letting me get angry and say things I didn't mean, for loving me, giving me hope and making me laugh. I don't know what I would have done without you there. Jessey, thanks for being there too and letting me steal jeff's time during that time! come home soon!!
Eric, thanks for also being there for me during that time. Quite a time for you to first meet me :) thanks for your love and grace and time to listen to me as well. I'm so glad you're around and that our friendship has grown.
John, thanks for your love for me and for your conversations that have helped me understand God so much more. I love you brother! thanks for all you did and continue to do in my life.
charlie, thanks for your grace and love. for meeting me for breakfast when you didn't even know me and for listening to my heart and my brokenness and for helping me realize that SATURDAY is coming. Thanks for Imago Dei and your leadership there...you have NO idea how good it feels to be a part of a church like what we have going on there. brilliant and beautiful!
small group, thank you guys for your love and your listening ears to me as well over the past 6 months. i love all of you so stinkin' much!
Greg and Ryan, you guys are two of the best guys in all of the land. i'm so glad God brought you two in my life when he did. amazing how God works. i value our conversations so much and i'm so glad we can not only grow together in our spiritual lives but we can have a heck of a good time together too. you two better stay in my life forever, i love you both.
ZuZu, i'm glad you're back in my life too. you have a heart of freakin' gold and I loooove it. you teach me a lot about God's love! and it's nice to have such a like-minded friend. i don't care what people say about your browness, i love you.
Kami, thank you for giving me a chance even while knowing everything. i'm so thankful for you and CAN'T wait to get to know you more and for everyone around me to get to know you more! you are so full of grace and love and gentleness and innocence and joy! you've sparked more hope in me! Thanks for letting me be me and enjoying it!
Rob Bell, don't act like you don't read my blogs! Thanks so much for your books and podcasts! God has used you to encouarge me many many times and have helped me a great deal how I understand the God we serve...and it makes me LOVE him MORE! Thanks for your insight! someday i wanna be you! not in a weird idolatrous kind of way but ya know...insightful, hip, full of love, grace, and peace, and helping people see and understand God in ways that help them love and appreciate him more!
and to my family (most likely you won't be reading this but ya know..props to you anyways) and everyone else thanks so much for all your love and grace!
So, anyone who is reading this and has gone through a crap time or is going though one, KNOW that you can find joy WITHIN you no matter what because REDEMPTION is coming! The situation may not play out like you'd like it to but if you allow God to work in you, He will! The time table may be different for everyone but over time you will be able to look back and see how God worked everything out and you will be able to see what He's done IN you and THROUGH you...
"And we know that in ALL things God works for the GOOD of those who LOVE him" Romans 8:28
There is JOY in that!
Grace and Peace,
12.07.2008
12.03.2008
Lil Old Lady and Al the Painter
I can say that most days I hate my job. The only days I actually enjoy them are when I get to work around people, whether it be the customer that i'm putting a new faucet in for or for another worker who happens to be at the new house i'm working on. Well today was a good day because I got to experience both! And not only that but somehow the same conversation came up twice and now I can't help but tell all you fine folks about it! It's on a topic i've been wrestling with for a couple years now...
As I'm working on Lil Old Lady's toilet (eww, i know) I notice a lot of spiritual decorations around the house so I begin to talk to her about Christianity. Once she realizes that I too am a Christian she proceeds conversing with me in great excitement because "we just need more Christians out there". I agree with her but she continues by saying, "because it really is us (Christians) verse the Terrorists (she also called them Muslims at one point)...Whether it be in my day or not sooner or later we're gonna have to fight all of them off to protect this great country and uphold it's values" Now I know we all have different opinions when it comes to this but you will soon find out mine because...well..let's just say I wanted to throw up.
Can I say that?
I had to bite my tongue so hard and just nod my head as she continued telling me why Christianity was going be the victor over the Terrorists by us wiping them off the face of the planet. Needless to say, I finished fixing her toilet and left, heartbroken, onto my next job....where I met Al the Painter.
Al the Painter is a guy in his late 30's and boy is he a talker. I could barely get any of my work done. I had seen him around on other job sites before but today it was just me and him. We began talking about what we do (outside of our day job) and I find out that Al the Painter is a boxer. A dang good one. And he teaches inner city kids in Peoria how to box. But it's deeper than that because he's a mentor to these kids too. He said it's sad because most of the kids come in wanting to fight so they can beat kids up but he uses this avenue to teach them a better way to live...which is as Al the Painter says, "To LOVE your enemies." Apparently you can be a boxer and still love your enemies, which I find fantastic. He teaches them boxing but teaches them how to live right by loving those around you, even your enemies, and forgiving those who wrong you. Al the Painter is also a Christian.
Is this just a small difference in beliefs? Is this on the same par as "well this Christian just does hymns at their church but that one has a full band at theirs".
How can Lil Old Lady and Al the Painter both claim to be Christians but yet hold such STARK differences on something as big as how to handle our enemies, both on a national level and on a personal level? (Al the Painter does not support war btw I asked him...he said that loving your enemies thing, he feels, applies to our national enemies as well).
I was very encouraged by Al the Painter.
So, what does Jesus say about our enemies? And what does His example tell us?
First off, in Matthew 5:43-48 which is the Sermon on the Mount (Christianity 101) Jesus says,
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons 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. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (note that the word "perfect" here doesn't mean without blemish it means UNCONDITIONAL)
Pretty self explanatory i'd say...why do we make excuses that as a Christian it's okay to actually kill/hate/slander our national enemies and those who have wronged us in our own personal lives? Are we not to take the words of Jesus serious? or are they just not "realistic"? When Jesus was standing before His enemies (those that were sending him to the Cross to die) Pilate asks him what is it that he had done and he (Jesus) responds, " My kingdom is not of this world, if it were, my servants would FIGHT to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders, but my Kingdom is from another place."
We are called (as Christians, followers of Jesus) to live by the rules of another kingdom. Not when we get to heaven, but NOW. We are called to bring "His kingdom to Earth as it is in Heaven".
I've seen bumper stickers that read "Who Would Jesus BOMB?" These are an attempt to get people to think about the absurdity of that question. Can you really see Jesus flying over a country and unloading bombs over those people below him? Or looking through the scope of a sniper rifle aimed at another human and pulling the trigger? No, absolutely not. Are we not called to Follow THIS example? Now matter how much it may defy common sense? Jesus kingdom is, after all, NOT of this world...it may not makes sense to us (neither does a perfect God taking on human form and dwelled with us only to die for us make any sense but we believe that don't we?)...but it may be the only hope we have to actually make this world a better place.
So what do we do about these pesky terrorists then?
Honestly i don't have answers BUT I have hope...
It starts with a shift in our thinking as Christians. Someone actually told me once that sometimes the best way to love your enemy is to KILL them.
Really?
What happened to Paul's beautiful poem about love in 1 Cor. 13 where he says that "Love does NO HARM". We have to stop thinking like the world and think with the MIND of Christ that has been given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. MAYBE once we start believing that and we actually take Jesus words seriously about LOVING our enemies, then maybe we'd be forced to start using the CREATIVITY that God gave us ( in making US like HIM-In His image) and begin to think of radical non-violent ways in making this world the world God had in mind. After all if we are IN CHRIST, "there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is ALL, and IN ALL" Colossians 3:11 (in today's words that could mean, there is no Christian, Jew, Muslim, Terrorist, Catholic, Homosexual, Untouchable, etc--there is no border to God's love and grace) We have to start seeing people as God sees them! Then maybe we'll start getting somewhere.
This is more than just about loving our national enemies. it's about loving those around you no matter what they've done to you. We deal with this everyday. Someone who said something to you that pissed you off or talked to someone else about you and tainted your character or just rubs you the wrong way when you're around them, someone who may have actually hurt you physically or emotionally, or even spiritually....this is everyday stuff. And we are called to unconditionally love these people. That is the way of Christ. That is the ONLY way this world is going to be the place God dreams it to be. God's given us the tools necessary and it's up to us to use them. May we work together to use them and in our everyday lives may we work to "overcome evil with GOOD" Romans 12:21
Grace and Peace
-Ty
As I'm working on Lil Old Lady's toilet (eww, i know) I notice a lot of spiritual decorations around the house so I begin to talk to her about Christianity. Once she realizes that I too am a Christian she proceeds conversing with me in great excitement because "we just need more Christians out there". I agree with her but she continues by saying, "because it really is us (Christians) verse the Terrorists (she also called them Muslims at one point)...Whether it be in my day or not sooner or later we're gonna have to fight all of them off to protect this great country and uphold it's values" Now I know we all have different opinions when it comes to this but you will soon find out mine because...well..let's just say I wanted to throw up.
Can I say that?
I had to bite my tongue so hard and just nod my head as she continued telling me why Christianity was going be the victor over the Terrorists by us wiping them off the face of the planet. Needless to say, I finished fixing her toilet and left, heartbroken, onto my next job....where I met Al the Painter.
Al the Painter is a guy in his late 30's and boy is he a talker. I could barely get any of my work done. I had seen him around on other job sites before but today it was just me and him. We began talking about what we do (outside of our day job) and I find out that Al the Painter is a boxer. A dang good one. And he teaches inner city kids in Peoria how to box. But it's deeper than that because he's a mentor to these kids too. He said it's sad because most of the kids come in wanting to fight so they can beat kids up but he uses this avenue to teach them a better way to live...which is as Al the Painter says, "To LOVE your enemies." Apparently you can be a boxer and still love your enemies, which I find fantastic. He teaches them boxing but teaches them how to live right by loving those around you, even your enemies, and forgiving those who wrong you. Al the Painter is also a Christian.
Is this just a small difference in beliefs? Is this on the same par as "well this Christian just does hymns at their church but that one has a full band at theirs".
How can Lil Old Lady and Al the Painter both claim to be Christians but yet hold such STARK differences on something as big as how to handle our enemies, both on a national level and on a personal level? (Al the Painter does not support war btw I asked him...he said that loving your enemies thing, he feels, applies to our national enemies as well).
I was very encouraged by Al the Painter.
So, what does Jesus say about our enemies? And what does His example tell us?
First off, in Matthew 5:43-48 which is the Sermon on the Mount (Christianity 101) Jesus says,
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons 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. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (note that the word "perfect" here doesn't mean without blemish it means UNCONDITIONAL)
Pretty self explanatory i'd say...why do we make excuses that as a Christian it's okay to actually kill/hate/slander our national enemies and those who have wronged us in our own personal lives? Are we not to take the words of Jesus serious? or are they just not "realistic"? When Jesus was standing before His enemies (those that were sending him to the Cross to die) Pilate asks him what is it that he had done and he (Jesus) responds, " My kingdom is not of this world, if it were, my servants would FIGHT to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders, but my Kingdom is from another place."
We are called (as Christians, followers of Jesus) to live by the rules of another kingdom. Not when we get to heaven, but NOW. We are called to bring "His kingdom to Earth as it is in Heaven".
I've seen bumper stickers that read "Who Would Jesus BOMB?" These are an attempt to get people to think about the absurdity of that question. Can you really see Jesus flying over a country and unloading bombs over those people below him? Or looking through the scope of a sniper rifle aimed at another human and pulling the trigger? No, absolutely not. Are we not called to Follow THIS example? Now matter how much it may defy common sense? Jesus kingdom is, after all, NOT of this world...it may not makes sense to us (neither does a perfect God taking on human form and dwelled with us only to die for us make any sense but we believe that don't we?)...but it may be the only hope we have to actually make this world a better place.
So what do we do about these pesky terrorists then?
Honestly i don't have answers BUT I have hope...
It starts with a shift in our thinking as Christians. Someone actually told me once that sometimes the best way to love your enemy is to KILL them.
Really?
What happened to Paul's beautiful poem about love in 1 Cor. 13 where he says that "Love does NO HARM". We have to stop thinking like the world and think with the MIND of Christ that has been given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. MAYBE once we start believing that and we actually take Jesus words seriously about LOVING our enemies, then maybe we'd be forced to start using the CREATIVITY that God gave us ( in making US like HIM-In His image) and begin to think of radical non-violent ways in making this world the world God had in mind. After all if we are IN CHRIST, "there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is ALL, and IN ALL" Colossians 3:11 (in today's words that could mean, there is no Christian, Jew, Muslim, Terrorist, Catholic, Homosexual, Untouchable, etc--there is no border to God's love and grace) We have to start seeing people as God sees them! Then maybe we'll start getting somewhere.
This is more than just about loving our national enemies. it's about loving those around you no matter what they've done to you. We deal with this everyday. Someone who said something to you that pissed you off or talked to someone else about you and tainted your character or just rubs you the wrong way when you're around them, someone who may have actually hurt you physically or emotionally, or even spiritually....this is everyday stuff. And we are called to unconditionally love these people. That is the way of Christ. That is the ONLY way this world is going to be the place God dreams it to be. God's given us the tools necessary and it's up to us to use them. May we work together to use them and in our everyday lives may we work to "overcome evil with GOOD" Romans 12:21
Grace and Peace
-Ty
10.21.2008
Do "this" in remembrance of me
Jesus says this at Passover referring to his body and blood. In Rob Bell's new book Jesus Wants to Save Christians (yes, read it) he suggests that the "this" refers more to his lifestyle and example he gave us then actually the breaking of bread (communion/eucharist/mass/whatever you want to call it). His "broken" body (the bread) reminds us to live in humility, to live out of our brokenness to serve others, following the example he gave in all he did. The blood of Christ (wine) reminds us that our sins have been taken care of for good and so has everyone else's so live without boundaries and accept EVERYONE, love everyone as Christ did (your enemies, your family, friends, people that have wronged you. people that you've wronged, people different from you, people from other religious groups, social status, people with different political ideas, theological ideas) and give yourself, your BLOOD sweat and tears for the cause of the kingdom. Do "this" in remembrance of Him. Then the world would look much different...it becomes more than a ritual...it becomes a way of LIFE. so may we REMEMBER Jesus daily by following his example. Yes, take the wine, eat the bread but when doing so remember what matters...live HIS lifestyle and do THAT in remembrance of Him.
Grace and Peace,
-Ty
Grace and Peace,
-Ty
8.27.2008
The FloBot Revolution...
"But if you feel like I feel like about the son of man ...We will overcome"
Recently I've been listening to the Flobot's CD and it's amazing! It has become an anthem for me right now, fueling within me a revolution of HOPE that I so desperately need! The songs are very political and social and full of meaning and pack quite a punch to the USA and what our country has done in the past and what we are becoming now. The fact that one of their hit songs "Handlebars" is on the radio is enough to give you goosebumps if you actually listen to what the song is saying. It just goes to show that there is hope that if people listen hard enough, want it badly enough, they can find and be a part of an underground insurgency for change. Much like in Jesus day when His message was being ridiculed and threatened by the religious establishment, You won't find it in many churches today and the few that have are only beginning to scratch the surface, but the revolution in all it's glory is happening behind the scenes, deep within our souls, within little communities of people in cities in states all across the country and world. If you want it badly enough you can find it and be a part of it.
These feelings of dreaming, of not giving up, not being satisfied with the status quo, wanting more, desiring change, are all coming back to me and I LOVE it! The question is will you be a part of it? Will you give into the status quo? Or will you stand up and make a statement by how you live your life, how you act, what you believe, how you treat people and talk to people, how you care about the earth, how you vote or don't vote, etc? Are you willing to go against what your family, friends, country, dare I say church, tells you is "good" or "true"? And will you follow the steps of Jesus, forgoing any common sense and resisting natural inclinations, to do what it takes to understand how He tells us to live? I mean, this is the one man who if taken seriously can actually make a difference in the world around us! Oh, and even better He actually lives within all those who claim to follow Him making it even more possible to make change! We can do this! We can bring heaven to earth! There can be PEACE, there can be FOOD for the POOR, we can END RACISM, we can FORGIVE our OPPRESSORS, we can LOVE our ENEMIES, show GRACE to the BROKEN, bring HEALING to hurting SOULS, and it can all happen now...if we believe it.
Life and all its CRAP has robbed me of this REALITY for too long and I am not going to let anything get in the way of DREAMING of seeing God's Kingdom being brought to EARTH. I will overcome. I will not be moved.
"...We shall not be moved
Except By a child with no socks and shoes
Except by a woman dying from the loss of food
Except by a freedom fighter bleeding on a cross for you
We shall not be moved
Except by a system thats rotten through
Neglecting the victims and ordering the cops to shoot
High treason now we need to prosecute
So Stand up
We shall not be moved
And we wont fight a war for fossil fuel
Its times like this that you want to plot a coo
Put your hands up and I'll copy you
So Stand up
We shall not be moved
Unless were taking a route we have not pursued
So if you've got a dream and a lot to do
Put your hands up and I'll copy you..."
Recently I've been listening to the Flobot's CD and it's amazing! It has become an anthem for me right now, fueling within me a revolution of HOPE that I so desperately need! The songs are very political and social and full of meaning and pack quite a punch to the USA and what our country has done in the past and what we are becoming now. The fact that one of their hit songs "Handlebars" is on the radio is enough to give you goosebumps if you actually listen to what the song is saying. It just goes to show that there is hope that if people listen hard enough, want it badly enough, they can find and be a part of an underground insurgency for change. Much like in Jesus day when His message was being ridiculed and threatened by the religious establishment, You won't find it in many churches today and the few that have are only beginning to scratch the surface, but the revolution in all it's glory is happening behind the scenes, deep within our souls, within little communities of people in cities in states all across the country and world. If you want it badly enough you can find it and be a part of it.
These feelings of dreaming, of not giving up, not being satisfied with the status quo, wanting more, desiring change, are all coming back to me and I LOVE it! The question is will you be a part of it? Will you give into the status quo? Or will you stand up and make a statement by how you live your life, how you act, what you believe, how you treat people and talk to people, how you care about the earth, how you vote or don't vote, etc? Are you willing to go against what your family, friends, country, dare I say church, tells you is "good" or "true"? And will you follow the steps of Jesus, forgoing any common sense and resisting natural inclinations, to do what it takes to understand how He tells us to live? I mean, this is the one man who if taken seriously can actually make a difference in the world around us! Oh, and even better He actually lives within all those who claim to follow Him making it even more possible to make change! We can do this! We can bring heaven to earth! There can be PEACE, there can be FOOD for the POOR, we can END RACISM, we can FORGIVE our OPPRESSORS, we can LOVE our ENEMIES, show GRACE to the BROKEN, bring HEALING to hurting SOULS, and it can all happen now...if we believe it.
Life and all its CRAP has robbed me of this REALITY for too long and I am not going to let anything get in the way of DREAMING of seeing God's Kingdom being brought to EARTH. I will overcome. I will not be moved.
"...We shall not be moved
Except By a child with no socks and shoes
Except by a woman dying from the loss of food
Except by a freedom fighter bleeding on a cross for you
We shall not be moved
Except by a system thats rotten through
Neglecting the victims and ordering the cops to shoot
High treason now we need to prosecute
So Stand up
We shall not be moved
And we wont fight a war for fossil fuel
Its times like this that you want to plot a coo
Put your hands up and I'll copy you
So Stand up
We shall not be moved
Unless were taking a route we have not pursued
So if you've got a dream and a lot to do
Put your hands up and I'll copy you..."
10.14.2006
The light of all men
So, i can't stop thinking about this verse:
"In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him ALL things were made; without Him NOTHING was made that has been made. In Him was LIFE, that that life was the LIGHT of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not yet overcome it." John 1:1-5
Now as if that first part isn't overwhelming on it's own (Jesus was with God since the beginning?!?!?) the second part of that verse has really challenged me and it keeps coming up.
Through Him ALL things were made and NOTHING has been made without Him. So i think about this and i can't help but think about people that don't know their creator and Savior Jesus Christ. Accept...they DO. It's all around them, it's who they are, it's where they go, who they interact with and what the see. I mean it's kind of ridiculious when you real ly think about it. How come I never bring this up...i'm always thinking about how they (nonbelievers) have no idea who God is and have no interaction with Him but really they do EVERYDAY, everytime they breathe.
THEY JUST NEED TO BE MADE AWARE. Shown that it's not like they don't know who God is...
Paul does this in Athens (Acts 17:22-28)
"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as i walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, i even found an alter with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So, you are ignorant of THE VERY THING YOU WORSHIP--AND THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO PROCLAIM TO YOU. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, He himself GIVES EVERYONE LIFE AND BREATH AND EVERYTHING ELSE....GOD DID THIS SO THAT THEY MAY SEEK HIM AND PERHAPS REACH OUT TO HIM AND FIND HIM, THOUGH HE IS NOT FAR FROM ANY ONE OF US. FOR IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING."
i absolutely love this! i wish i could continually be reminded of this daily. Not only do we live in a world drenched with God and His glory but so does EVERYONE else.
John says about Jesus in verse 4 of Chapter 1 "that life (Jesus) is the light of all people"
I think you can read this in two ways. First, and plainly, that Jesus is the light of all people. We must turn to Him to be our guide to eluding darkness. OR that the light of all people is Jesus. Now that may sound the same to you but think about it as if I were to do something good like give to the poor, is that not the light of Jesus coming from me? if someone who didn't know Christ gave to the poor, is that too not the light of Jesus coming from them? all good is of Him right? all truth, biblical or not, is Him. right? i think so... how profound!!??!!
i was talking with my buddy Gabe, i love you Gabe, about this last night and he was telling me his roommate who doesn't "know" God has been saying and doing some rather "Godly" things. like offering a listening ear to a neighbor who is struggling with a drug problem. Is that not the mercy and compassion of God coming out of his roommate?!? i think so!
May we challenge each other to be reminded of this. if we could wrap our minds around this, if i could, it would change the way i talk to others about Christ and how i show Him to them.
What do YOU think??
oh gracious father, may Christ, WHO DWELLS WITHIN US, continue to come out of us and make us AWARE of all the opportunities to point you out to those who need you! Remind us that you are ALL and IN ALL!! may we seek your face and speak nothing but Jesus! LET IT BE!!
"In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him ALL things were made; without Him NOTHING was made that has been made. In Him was LIFE, that that life was the LIGHT of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not yet overcome it." John 1:1-5
Now as if that first part isn't overwhelming on it's own (Jesus was with God since the beginning?!?!?) the second part of that verse has really challenged me and it keeps coming up.
Through Him ALL things were made and NOTHING has been made without Him. So i think about this and i can't help but think about people that don't know their creator and Savior Jesus Christ. Accept...they DO. It's all around them, it's who they are, it's where they go, who they interact with and what the see. I mean it's kind of ridiculious when you real ly think about it. How come I never bring this up...i'm always thinking about how they (nonbelievers) have no idea who God is and have no interaction with Him but really they do EVERYDAY, everytime they breathe.
THEY JUST NEED TO BE MADE AWARE. Shown that it's not like they don't know who God is...
Paul does this in Athens (Acts 17:22-28)
"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as i walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, i even found an alter with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So, you are ignorant of THE VERY THING YOU WORSHIP--AND THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO PROCLAIM TO YOU. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, He himself GIVES EVERYONE LIFE AND BREATH AND EVERYTHING ELSE....GOD DID THIS SO THAT THEY MAY SEEK HIM AND PERHAPS REACH OUT TO HIM AND FIND HIM, THOUGH HE IS NOT FAR FROM ANY ONE OF US. FOR IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING."
i absolutely love this! i wish i could continually be reminded of this daily. Not only do we live in a world drenched with God and His glory but so does EVERYONE else.
John says about Jesus in verse 4 of Chapter 1 "that life (Jesus) is the light of all people"
I think you can read this in two ways. First, and plainly, that Jesus is the light of all people. We must turn to Him to be our guide to eluding darkness. OR that the light of all people is Jesus. Now that may sound the same to you but think about it as if I were to do something good like give to the poor, is that not the light of Jesus coming from me? if someone who didn't know Christ gave to the poor, is that too not the light of Jesus coming from them? all good is of Him right? all truth, biblical or not, is Him. right? i think so... how profound!!??!!
i was talking with my buddy Gabe, i love you Gabe, about this last night and he was telling me his roommate who doesn't "know" God has been saying and doing some rather "Godly" things. like offering a listening ear to a neighbor who is struggling with a drug problem. Is that not the mercy and compassion of God coming out of his roommate?!? i think so!
May we challenge each other to be reminded of this. if we could wrap our minds around this, if i could, it would change the way i talk to others about Christ and how i show Him to them.
What do YOU think??
oh gracious father, may Christ, WHO DWELLS WITHIN US, continue to come out of us and make us AWARE of all the opportunities to point you out to those who need you! Remind us that you are ALL and IN ALL!! may we seek your face and speak nothing but Jesus! LET IT BE!!
10.08.2006
Missional
I recently listened to a guy by the name of Mike Frost talk about church. He is an Australian guy and had some very good things to say, i highly recommend trying to find some things of his to listen to. Anyway he was talking about God being a MISSIONAL God. He believes that God has been and always will be a missional God--all about SENDING.
so i checked out what the oxford american dictionary had to say about this word and the origin of the word mission comes from the mid 16th century denoting the SENDING of the Holy Spirt into the world.
So if you read Scripture you'll find that from Genesis through Revelations you'll find God CONSTANTLY SENDING people out to do "mission". Which was essentially to proclaim His glory and bring others to Him. The most popular verse that most all Christians know is Matthew 28:19-20 which is the great coMISSION. In this verse Jesus says to his disciples
"All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore GO OUT and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything i have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
So, like my buddy Mike Frost, i began to wonder what the heck we are doing by doing everyhing in power to get people to COME into church. BRING your coworkers TO church, BRING your family TO church, BRING your friends TO church.
we have recreated the Old Testament temple experience...where God was only found in the temple. Now, you'd never probably hear a pastor say that exactly but THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TEACHING by our programs , by our messages, by our large buildings, our flashly lights, our best music, our comfy chairs, our finest clothes, and whatever else. We have this feeling that if we aren't bringing people to church or we aren't involved in some type of "ministry" within the church than we aren't doing anything.
i think that if Jesus were to come to your church, HE'D MAKE A HORRIBLE MEMBER. He would never be there!! He would be out with people that desperatly need him! he wouldn't be at all the classes, the small groups, the worship practices, the board meetings. He'd be GOING OUT into the world because he knows that
DOING CHURCH ISN'T THE POINT
The point is following Him and being like Him by loving Him and surrendering all we are to Him.
He had his 12 friends that were with Him all the time, but most of the time they were OUT doing something or GOING somwhere else to teach and proclaim the Good News.
I need people around me to encourage me and build me up, whether that be once a week, twice a week, whatever and WHEREVER. Because i know that isn't the point, it's great and i need it but the point is for me to be with those at school, at One World, at Eli's, wherever that's OUT in the world.
So where did we go wrong? I mean some of you probably don't think we've gone wrong...but are we not going against the character of God by "doing" church the way we are now. Maybe we should start by NOT "doing" church and start LIVING. Scrap all the programs and everything.
And do what? i don't know...i am confused now more than ever. But my relationship with God is better than ever because i'm having to THINK and WRESTLE with the Scriptures and who Jesus was so i can be more like him. thankfully i've found others who are on this same journey and if you're reading this and you've never understood either or maybe you never even thought about it than you're not alone!
What do all of you think? Think with me i want to know your thoughts!!
so i checked out what the oxford american dictionary had to say about this word and the origin of the word mission comes from the mid 16th century denoting the SENDING of the Holy Spirt into the world.
So if you read Scripture you'll find that from Genesis through Revelations you'll find God CONSTANTLY SENDING people out to do "mission". Which was essentially to proclaim His glory and bring others to Him. The most popular verse that most all Christians know is Matthew 28:19-20 which is the great coMISSION. In this verse Jesus says to his disciples
"All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore GO OUT and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything i have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
So, like my buddy Mike Frost, i began to wonder what the heck we are doing by doing everyhing in power to get people to COME into church. BRING your coworkers TO church, BRING your family TO church, BRING your friends TO church.
we have recreated the Old Testament temple experience...where God was only found in the temple. Now, you'd never probably hear a pastor say that exactly but THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TEACHING by our programs , by our messages, by our large buildings, our flashly lights, our best music, our comfy chairs, our finest clothes, and whatever else. We have this feeling that if we aren't bringing people to church or we aren't involved in some type of "ministry" within the church than we aren't doing anything.
i think that if Jesus were to come to your church, HE'D MAKE A HORRIBLE MEMBER. He would never be there!! He would be out with people that desperatly need him! he wouldn't be at all the classes, the small groups, the worship practices, the board meetings. He'd be GOING OUT into the world because he knows that
DOING CHURCH ISN'T THE POINT
The point is following Him and being like Him by loving Him and surrendering all we are to Him.
He had his 12 friends that were with Him all the time, but most of the time they were OUT doing something or GOING somwhere else to teach and proclaim the Good News.
I need people around me to encourage me and build me up, whether that be once a week, twice a week, whatever and WHEREVER. Because i know that isn't the point, it's great and i need it but the point is for me to be with those at school, at One World, at Eli's, wherever that's OUT in the world.
So where did we go wrong? I mean some of you probably don't think we've gone wrong...but are we not going against the character of God by "doing" church the way we are now. Maybe we should start by NOT "doing" church and start LIVING. Scrap all the programs and everything.
And do what? i don't know...i am confused now more than ever. But my relationship with God is better than ever because i'm having to THINK and WRESTLE with the Scriptures and who Jesus was so i can be more like him. thankfully i've found others who are on this same journey and if you're reading this and you've never understood either or maybe you never even thought about it than you're not alone!
What do all of you think? Think with me i want to know your thoughts!!
9.30.2006
Normal
I was reading my good buddy and sincere follower of Christ's blog just a second ago and in response to someone's "anonymous" response i responded with something. I liked what Christ was saying through me so i decided to post my response as a blog itself so you can see it too. and if you don't think it was Christ speaking through me than check and see if it's in line with the His teachings not with what your church says or does.
Basically what was being said by "anonymous" was that my friend Jeff was not following the "norms" of how a Christian should think or what church should look like. you can read his blog entitled "It changes everything" by clicking on Jeff E's blog link on my page). so here is i responded with...
**************
Christ came to break the "norms" of the RELIGIOUS. I am thankful that you are breaking the "norms" in that you see that the norms of the church are so far off from what Christ teaches!----
just a few things to think about..
1) not repaying evil for evil- we are war advocates
2) giving to the poor-$300,000 sound systems, $1,000 for new carpet, $4,000,000 for a new building, 4-50 people in paid postions of atleast $20,000 a year, hmmm i'm sure we could all think of more...
3) puting more emphasis on knowing the word rather than knowing the Word (Jesus) and living it out)
4) membership
5) programs
6) evangalistic "tools"- how about we try interacting with people rather than presenting them with the latest and greatest "interactive dvd"
norms, hmmmmm...forgive them Father for they know not what they do.
i think the church is in desperate need of discovering the person of Jesus all over again. i don't think it's going to happen by trying to "fix" how church is done. i'd go as far as to say that it (religion) needs to be destroyed and completely redone.
then again i guess it's just my "unique" perspective but i'm glad that Christ's was pretty unique as well!
go ahead throw some stones but i hope everyone reads this and thinks about Christ's teachings and their church deeply before they throw anything.
Basically what was being said by "anonymous" was that my friend Jeff was not following the "norms" of how a Christian should think or what church should look like. you can read his blog entitled "It changes everything" by clicking on Jeff E's blog link on my page). so here is i responded with...
**************
Christ came to break the "norms" of the RELIGIOUS. I am thankful that you are breaking the "norms" in that you see that the norms of the church are so far off from what Christ teaches!----
just a few things to think about..
1) not repaying evil for evil- we are war advocates
2) giving to the poor-$300,000 sound systems, $1,000 for new carpet, $4,000,000 for a new building, 4-50 people in paid postions of atleast $20,000 a year, hmmm i'm sure we could all think of more...
3) puting more emphasis on knowing the word rather than knowing the Word (Jesus) and living it out)
4) membership
5) programs
6) evangalistic "tools"- how about we try interacting with people rather than presenting them with the latest and greatest "interactive dvd"
norms, hmmmmm...forgive them Father for they know not what they do.
i think the church is in desperate need of discovering the person of Jesus all over again. i don't think it's going to happen by trying to "fix" how church is done. i'd go as far as to say that it (religion) needs to be destroyed and completely redone.
then again i guess it's just my "unique" perspective but i'm glad that Christ's was pretty unique as well!
go ahead throw some stones but i hope everyone reads this and thinks about Christ's teachings and their church deeply before they throw anything.
7.02.2006
Conviction
i'm always right.
or so i'd like to think. but just the other night it struck at how hilarious and aburd that mindset is...
it had been awhile since i had really sat down by myself and thought. thought about my life, God, the people around me, what the heck i am doing, why i pick my nose in my sleep, things like that. so friday night as i drove home after visiting with my old youth pastor i remembered how my brother had always told me that when he had my room (which is the only room upstairs) he used to go on our roof and look out at the stars and chat to God...sounded pretty sweet...so me and my cigar went outside, laid on the roof and sat mesmorized by the clear night.
it struck me for the first time, i mean i had heard it, i knew the cliches, but i felt for the first time very small in the middle of God's creation. even more so i realized how small my small little problems were. how small my BIG head really was. i mean it's funny that we sometimes get caught into thinking how we have it all figured out. i mean when you really think about how everyone of those stars is some huge sun somewhere for possibly some other solar system. some other galaxy. and how i think my life's problems and worries are a big deal. it's aburd. truly absurd. and then i realized how much God thinks of us in the middle of all this bigness. and how it's such a paradox. we are inconceivably small, but yet God sees as inconceivably important...not so much our ideas and opinions, but our lives. He wants our lives. I mean He gave it to us...he wants us to live it for Him. for His glory, not our own.
So then, i thought about the church. How much I think it's wrong. and so much is up and distorted...but then i remembred how small i was again. and it made me feel really dumb to just talk negatively about the church. i can't just assume that there is ONE right way to do something. to do church. for me, it's to surround myself with people who do good to others and try to make EVERY choice based on God's character. and to talk and hold each other accountable. for me that isn't found in a local church. for some it is. do i have my opinions on the church? yes. are they right? maybe. does it apply to everyone that is involved in a church? no. as paul says in Phillipians 1:15-18
"Is it true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill? The latter do so out of love, knowing that i am here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while i'm in chains. BUT WHAT DOES IT MATTER? THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT IN EVERY WAY, WHETHER FROM FALSE MOTIVES OR TRUE, CHRIST IS BEING PREACHED. AND BECAUSE OF THIS I REJOICE."
am i rejoicing? no, i'm angry at the church. i'm angry at the entertainment business it's become. how "relevent" it's trying to be. was i caught up in it? yes, very much so. but either way i need to rejoice because Christ is still being preached. so needless to say i was convicted that night on my roof.
conviction.
i don't like conviction.
conviction makes me realize i was wrong. but something in my heart changed i think. i think i like being wrong...
i like being wrong.
because i realize the need for Christ. i am human, i am wrong a lot. i need truth, i need Christ to do a work in me. and when i'm wrong and i realize it...i know He is working in me.
it feels good to allow God to do whatever it is he needs to do with those people that are recieving the gospel all across the western world on sunday mornings. it's not my job to change them. i am called to do whatever it takes for me to know Christ more. that's all that i can control. anything else is up to God and is up to others.
whatever it takes for you to know God more...DO IT! don't worry about being wrong. if you're basing your decisions on His words and His character you are doing nothing wrong. it's a beautiful thing to realize that there is lots of truth, lots of true ways to to and have church. who am i to say what is right or wrong. all i ask is that you think of how much your life is modeled after Him. are you wanting more of Christ every day? are you seeing change in your life on a daily basis? are you being convicted?
are you being convicted?
i am sorry for my selfishness and my big head. Christ is in me and he's teaching me humility. and i like it. i like being wrong. because it's not about me...it's about Christ in me, coming out, and getting rid of the me.
God, may you draw us near to you. teach us your ways, help our generation to be more away of their wrongs so that we may allow your son to make us right with you. i love you Abba, continue to work in us so that "we may attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."
i think i'm gonna make a bracelet that says "Got conviction?" i think that could sell, what do you think?
or so i'd like to think. but just the other night it struck at how hilarious and aburd that mindset is...
it had been awhile since i had really sat down by myself and thought. thought about my life, God, the people around me, what the heck i am doing, why i pick my nose in my sleep, things like that. so friday night as i drove home after visiting with my old youth pastor i remembered how my brother had always told me that when he had my room (which is the only room upstairs) he used to go on our roof and look out at the stars and chat to God...sounded pretty sweet...so me and my cigar went outside, laid on the roof and sat mesmorized by the clear night.
it struck me for the first time, i mean i had heard it, i knew the cliches, but i felt for the first time very small in the middle of God's creation. even more so i realized how small my small little problems were. how small my BIG head really was. i mean it's funny that we sometimes get caught into thinking how we have it all figured out. i mean when you really think about how everyone of those stars is some huge sun somewhere for possibly some other solar system. some other galaxy. and how i think my life's problems and worries are a big deal. it's aburd. truly absurd. and then i realized how much God thinks of us in the middle of all this bigness. and how it's such a paradox. we are inconceivably small, but yet God sees as inconceivably important...not so much our ideas and opinions, but our lives. He wants our lives. I mean He gave it to us...he wants us to live it for Him. for His glory, not our own.
So then, i thought about the church. How much I think it's wrong. and so much is up and distorted...but then i remembred how small i was again. and it made me feel really dumb to just talk negatively about the church. i can't just assume that there is ONE right way to do something. to do church. for me, it's to surround myself with people who do good to others and try to make EVERY choice based on God's character. and to talk and hold each other accountable. for me that isn't found in a local church. for some it is. do i have my opinions on the church? yes. are they right? maybe. does it apply to everyone that is involved in a church? no. as paul says in Phillipians 1:15-18
"Is it true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill? The latter do so out of love, knowing that i am here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while i'm in chains. BUT WHAT DOES IT MATTER? THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT IN EVERY WAY, WHETHER FROM FALSE MOTIVES OR TRUE, CHRIST IS BEING PREACHED. AND BECAUSE OF THIS I REJOICE."
am i rejoicing? no, i'm angry at the church. i'm angry at the entertainment business it's become. how "relevent" it's trying to be. was i caught up in it? yes, very much so. but either way i need to rejoice because Christ is still being preached. so needless to say i was convicted that night on my roof.
conviction.
i don't like conviction.
conviction makes me realize i was wrong. but something in my heart changed i think. i think i like being wrong...
i like being wrong.
because i realize the need for Christ. i am human, i am wrong a lot. i need truth, i need Christ to do a work in me. and when i'm wrong and i realize it...i know He is working in me.
it feels good to allow God to do whatever it is he needs to do with those people that are recieving the gospel all across the western world on sunday mornings. it's not my job to change them. i am called to do whatever it takes for me to know Christ more. that's all that i can control. anything else is up to God and is up to others.
whatever it takes for you to know God more...DO IT! don't worry about being wrong. if you're basing your decisions on His words and His character you are doing nothing wrong. it's a beautiful thing to realize that there is lots of truth, lots of true ways to to and have church. who am i to say what is right or wrong. all i ask is that you think of how much your life is modeled after Him. are you wanting more of Christ every day? are you seeing change in your life on a daily basis? are you being convicted?
are you being convicted?
i am sorry for my selfishness and my big head. Christ is in me and he's teaching me humility. and i like it. i like being wrong. because it's not about me...it's about Christ in me, coming out, and getting rid of the me.
God, may you draw us near to you. teach us your ways, help our generation to be more away of their wrongs so that we may allow your son to make us right with you. i love you Abba, continue to work in us so that "we may attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."
i think i'm gonna make a bracelet that says "Got conviction?" i think that could sell, what do you think?
3.31.2006
What exactly is spreading the Gospel message?
I wrote this a few months ago, and it's posted on my myspace blog, but i'd like to let others see it that don't read my myspace blog...so check it out along with my other blogs on myspace at http://blog.myspace.com/tynamite thanks!!!
The other day I had a very heartbreaking and frustrating conversation with a dude at school. The topic was evangelism. We both agreed that it was sad how just empty people are and how much they need the love of God in their lives. He went on telling me how he takes it upon himself to go around the cafeteria telling people about Jesus, which according to him is spreading the Gospel message. Now, my question is this: Is telling people ABOUT Jesus really the gospel message? Is it our duty to go around trying to make people, who don’t have a clue who we are and what we’re about, believe what we believe? Are they really oblvivious to the fact that Jesus died for the sins? To what end are we doing this? Many religious leaders would tell us, yes, this is spreading the gospel message. What is our intent in doing this? To make us feel good about ourselves because we’re telling people about Jesus? And isn't that only a piece of what the gospel is about? He went on telling me how I should come with him and watch him talk to people about Jesus and how he makes certain arguments (taken from evangelism instructional videos, which just makes me chuckle, but that’s a whole other issue) because “it’s fun”.
It’s fun?
Is that really what it’s all about? Is it like a game? How much are you really caring for people by telling them about Jesus, making sure they know they are sinners and they need God, then moving on to the next table to start all over again. That’s an illusion of love. You don’t really care about them, you are about your agenda, it makes you feel good because you’re told to do this and you think it’s fun. Love is investing time and effort into the lives of others. It’s about taking the time to understand them and sympathize with them, getting their perspective, discovering and learning about their experiences. THAT’s love. Love is sacrifice, giving up yourself, giving up your agenda, and letting them see Christ’s love in you. It’s not so much about knowing about Jesus, it’s about knowing Jesus…experiencing Jesus...
It’s not enough to just know about Jesus…
So we have to ask ourselves, who is Jesus? I believe he was ultimate reality. He was the written word of God in flesh. Everything that we are destined to become is in Jesus. Any questions about how we should live life here and now is found in Jesus. There is so much more…He was life. He was love. And, He was a FRIEND of sinners. Sinners being all of us…NONE are exlcluded. According to Scripture, He chilled with them, ate with them, drank with them, shared his life with them. SHARED HIS LIFE WITH THEM.
So I guess another question is this: Is it really worth telling everyone ABOUT Jesus and having a few get it (and prolly get it wrong) and annoying the rest and ruining any chance of a future encounter with Christ. Is that what Jesus instructs us to do? Is that ALL the Gospel is? Or do we share our lives with the few around us who we daily interact with and allow them to KNOW Jesus through our lifestyles and love in us. There is no way we can change the world on our own. But, we can change the world around us. You can change the world around you. Think about that…
I think the church has had this wrong for a long time. I need a God who’s now. I need a faith for today. If my job is to just get people to know about Jesus for the sake of a hope and future for something that just happens AFTER this life and then just feel good that we’re all going to this better place after we die, which I believe is true, isn’t enough. There has to be more! What about here and now? What is so exciting about a faith that is for a future? I think Jesus teaches us that our faith is about today, about now. It’s about daily changing the lives and the world and reality around us by getting people to know Him through our lives and experiencing love and joy and everything else that comes in a relationship with Him and with others. To me, THAT is the Gospel message that Jesus teaches.
“Always preach the Gospel, and when necessary use words”
-Saint Francis of Assisi
The other day I had a very heartbreaking and frustrating conversation with a dude at school. The topic was evangelism. We both agreed that it was sad how just empty people are and how much they need the love of God in their lives. He went on telling me how he takes it upon himself to go around the cafeteria telling people about Jesus, which according to him is spreading the Gospel message. Now, my question is this: Is telling people ABOUT Jesus really the gospel message? Is it our duty to go around trying to make people, who don’t have a clue who we are and what we’re about, believe what we believe? Are they really oblvivious to the fact that Jesus died for the sins? To what end are we doing this? Many religious leaders would tell us, yes, this is spreading the gospel message. What is our intent in doing this? To make us feel good about ourselves because we’re telling people about Jesus? And isn't that only a piece of what the gospel is about? He went on telling me how I should come with him and watch him talk to people about Jesus and how he makes certain arguments (taken from evangelism instructional videos, which just makes me chuckle, but that’s a whole other issue) because “it’s fun”.
It’s fun?
Is that really what it’s all about? Is it like a game? How much are you really caring for people by telling them about Jesus, making sure they know they are sinners and they need God, then moving on to the next table to start all over again. That’s an illusion of love. You don’t really care about them, you are about your agenda, it makes you feel good because you’re told to do this and you think it’s fun. Love is investing time and effort into the lives of others. It’s about taking the time to understand them and sympathize with them, getting their perspective, discovering and learning about their experiences. THAT’s love. Love is sacrifice, giving up yourself, giving up your agenda, and letting them see Christ’s love in you. It’s not so much about knowing about Jesus, it’s about knowing Jesus…experiencing Jesus...
It’s not enough to just know about Jesus…
So we have to ask ourselves, who is Jesus? I believe he was ultimate reality. He was the written word of God in flesh. Everything that we are destined to become is in Jesus. Any questions about how we should live life here and now is found in Jesus. There is so much more…He was life. He was love. And, He was a FRIEND of sinners. Sinners being all of us…NONE are exlcluded. According to Scripture, He chilled with them, ate with them, drank with them, shared his life with them. SHARED HIS LIFE WITH THEM.
So I guess another question is this: Is it really worth telling everyone ABOUT Jesus and having a few get it (and prolly get it wrong) and annoying the rest and ruining any chance of a future encounter with Christ. Is that what Jesus instructs us to do? Is that ALL the Gospel is? Or do we share our lives with the few around us who we daily interact with and allow them to KNOW Jesus through our lifestyles and love in us. There is no way we can change the world on our own. But, we can change the world around us. You can change the world around you. Think about that…
I think the church has had this wrong for a long time. I need a God who’s now. I need a faith for today. If my job is to just get people to know about Jesus for the sake of a hope and future for something that just happens AFTER this life and then just feel good that we’re all going to this better place after we die, which I believe is true, isn’t enough. There has to be more! What about here and now? What is so exciting about a faith that is for a future? I think Jesus teaches us that our faith is about today, about now. It’s about daily changing the lives and the world and reality around us by getting people to know Him through our lives and experiencing love and joy and everything else that comes in a relationship with Him and with others. To me, THAT is the Gospel message that Jesus teaches.
“Always preach the Gospel, and when necessary use words”
-Saint Francis of Assisi
A few thoughts...
All right so i've been thinking about a lot of stuff lately and there is so much i want to write, but i just don't have the time to sit and write it all out right now. but here are two things that really kind of hit me in the last week...
what if we ALL, all the followers of Christ, lived like there were no coincedences?!?!? i mean if you think of all the people we interact with on a regular basis: the gas attendant you always buy your gas from, the barista who always makes your drink, the guy who sits in the cubicle next to you, the people sitting around you in your classroom, the random people you are with in lines everyday at the mall, store, bathroom, etc. ANYTHING!! i mean do you really believe those are all coincendences?!!? you have something that they desperately need and WANT deep down. you have the TRUTH. i mean you ARE the truth because you are of Christ and Christ is of God (and the FULLNESSS of God dwells within Christ- Colossians 1:19) therefore everywhere you go, the fullness of God is right there with you and it's up to you to let it out so that people will see and know the truth. you HAVE it, ALWAYS. it's there in you. everyday. every minute. every interaction you have. the truth is there, and available to that person to have. are you going to live like it's just a coincidence OR are you going to realize that just maybe God has those people in you life for a reason. not just friends and family but EVERYONE you encounter in a day. we don't need to pray for opportunities, they are there, every minute. we need to pray that we ACT upon them as much as possible. i mean just what if!!??!! what if we ALL lived like that? it would be incredible...and it would bring heaven on earth! we need to pray and encourage each other to make this happen. we can't do it alone...we need each other!! so let's do all we can to remember this and remind each other always and give them encouragement!
Another thing i've been thinking about is in regards to the church. recently i've had some frustrations with the church on some particular issues that i think are absolutey wrong (i will eventually blog about them, but not now). but through all my conversations everyone and their mother have said, "well Ty, there is no perfect church, it's human, so we can't really do anything about it." talk about disheartening...so in essence people really believe that we just have to be content with things that we feel are wrong and just accept what they are doing because there is NO WAY it can change. i'm sorry, but didn't Christ say he was coming for the PERFECT bride? or rather the PERFECT church. doesn't that imply that the church, at some point, is going to be perfect? i mean it makes sense if you think about it...
if Christ is in us, aren't we continually being made more and more perfect?!?!?
check this out...
Hebrews 10:8-18 (read all of Hebrews 10 on your own!!)
"First he (Jesus) said, 'sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them.' (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, 'here I am, I have come to do your will.' He sets aside the first to establish the second. and by that will, WE HAVE BEEN MADE HOLY through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices (sound familiar? sometimes i feel this way at church), which can never take away sins. But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice HE HAS MADE PERFECT FOREVER THOSE WHO ARE BEING MADE HOLY. "
Paul talks about this in Philippians 3:12
he says, "not that i've already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I PRESS ON TO TAKE HOLD OF THAT for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
We are made perfect because are are being made holy through Christ! the implications of this are HUGE. that means that although we are human, there is perfection in us because Christ is in us! so to say that the church will never be perfect is a LIE because Christ says that it will...otherwise he'd be a liar because he says he's coming for the perfect bride! to me that means he's coming for a church that is trying to be perfect...not in our humaness, but in our desire to be more and more holy!!
so, what do we do?!? i think we start by realizing that change IS possible and IS necessary. i think it just starts with us all recognizing there is a problem and we go from there. i don't know what to do now to be honest. i can't change anything on my own but together, AS THE BODY OF CHRIST-the church, we can change the world!! so more than anything, i guess i'm asking that you think about it. and think about what this means and if you even agree or not, and we go from there! let's not settle for anything less than what Christ tells us we are or what we will become!
i love you all! know that the TRUTH is in you, ALWAYS!! don't forget that!!
-ty
what if we ALL, all the followers of Christ, lived like there were no coincedences?!?!? i mean if you think of all the people we interact with on a regular basis: the gas attendant you always buy your gas from, the barista who always makes your drink, the guy who sits in the cubicle next to you, the people sitting around you in your classroom, the random people you are with in lines everyday at the mall, store, bathroom, etc. ANYTHING!! i mean do you really believe those are all coincendences?!!? you have something that they desperately need and WANT deep down. you have the TRUTH. i mean you ARE the truth because you are of Christ and Christ is of God (and the FULLNESSS of God dwells within Christ- Colossians 1:19) therefore everywhere you go, the fullness of God is right there with you and it's up to you to let it out so that people will see and know the truth. you HAVE it, ALWAYS. it's there in you. everyday. every minute. every interaction you have. the truth is there, and available to that person to have. are you going to live like it's just a coincidence OR are you going to realize that just maybe God has those people in you life for a reason. not just friends and family but EVERYONE you encounter in a day. we don't need to pray for opportunities, they are there, every minute. we need to pray that we ACT upon them as much as possible. i mean just what if!!??!! what if we ALL lived like that? it would be incredible...and it would bring heaven on earth! we need to pray and encourage each other to make this happen. we can't do it alone...we need each other!! so let's do all we can to remember this and remind each other always and give them encouragement!
Another thing i've been thinking about is in regards to the church. recently i've had some frustrations with the church on some particular issues that i think are absolutey wrong (i will eventually blog about them, but not now). but through all my conversations everyone and their mother have said, "well Ty, there is no perfect church, it's human, so we can't really do anything about it." talk about disheartening...so in essence people really believe that we just have to be content with things that we feel are wrong and just accept what they are doing because there is NO WAY it can change. i'm sorry, but didn't Christ say he was coming for the PERFECT bride? or rather the PERFECT church. doesn't that imply that the church, at some point, is going to be perfect? i mean it makes sense if you think about it...
if Christ is in us, aren't we continually being made more and more perfect?!?!?
check this out...
Hebrews 10:8-18 (read all of Hebrews 10 on your own!!)
"First he (Jesus) said, 'sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them.' (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, 'here I am, I have come to do your will.' He sets aside the first to establish the second. and by that will, WE HAVE BEEN MADE HOLY through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices (sound familiar? sometimes i feel this way at church), which can never take away sins. But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice HE HAS MADE PERFECT FOREVER THOSE WHO ARE BEING MADE HOLY. "
Paul talks about this in Philippians 3:12
he says, "not that i've already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I PRESS ON TO TAKE HOLD OF THAT for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
We are made perfect because are are being made holy through Christ! the implications of this are HUGE. that means that although we are human, there is perfection in us because Christ is in us! so to say that the church will never be perfect is a LIE because Christ says that it will...otherwise he'd be a liar because he says he's coming for the perfect bride! to me that means he's coming for a church that is trying to be perfect...not in our humaness, but in our desire to be more and more holy!!
so, what do we do?!? i think we start by realizing that change IS possible and IS necessary. i think it just starts with us all recognizing there is a problem and we go from there. i don't know what to do now to be honest. i can't change anything on my own but together, AS THE BODY OF CHRIST-the church, we can change the world!! so more than anything, i guess i'm asking that you think about it. and think about what this means and if you even agree or not, and we go from there! let's not settle for anything less than what Christ tells us we are or what we will become!
i love you all! know that the TRUTH is in you, ALWAYS!! don't forget that!!
-ty
3.14.2006
All things are yours
"All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death or the present or the future-ALL ARE YOURS, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God." 1 Corinthians 3:21-23
All things are yours!
Hold on wait...say that again...
ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!!!
What does this mean? all things are ours. Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, present, future...they are ours.
WHY?!?!?
Becasuse YOU are of Christ, and Christ is of God!
I don't know about you but this is mindblowing stuff. why haven't i been told this in the 20 years i've been going to church?!? i've been told that i need to read my Bible, that i can't run in church, i was even told once that i shouldn't be chewing gum in church, or heaven forbid i miss church on a sunday, or that i need to tithe 10% of my income....but i was never told "hey Ty, did you know that because you are of Christ that ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!!" i mean, if i heard that earlier and began to understand what that implies, i might have lived quite a bit different and might have thought that my journey in Christ wasn't quite as boring and burdensome as i thought it had to be.
i still don't fully know what this implies but let's look at the text here:
so Paul is writing to this Church in Corinth. Corinth is a happening city, full of parties, women, money, highly educated people talking about the latest ideas and philosphies. it was a port city and was probably very cultured. maybe much like LA or new orleans today. but Paul is writing to the Christians in this city who in this particular chapter are getting hung up on who to follow, who has the better "idea" or "style" of living...Paul? Apollos? or Cephas? he goes on to tell them they are pretty much foolish for trying to figure this out or even debate it by saying...
v. 20-21 "and again, "the Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile. so then, no more boasting about human leaders! all things are yours"
earlier he stated that "the Lord has assigned to each his task...for we are God's CO-WORKERS, God's field, God's building"
v. 5+9
We all have our own tasks but we are together WORKING WITH God to advance His kingdom. So all this stuff about God not needing us...it's bogus. He probably could do it without us but He won't! He WANTS to use us!! We play a role in his plan to redeem this broken world! that's AMAZING!
But the fact that he finishes this whole thought in this chapter by saying "ALL THINGS ARE YOURS" pretty much imples that:
(paraphrased):
"ok guys, stop trying to figure out who is the better leader. those qualities that Paul has, they are yours. those qualities that Apollos and Cephas have, they are yours. Those qualities of the world/nature that are good (beauty, creativity, life, etc), they're yours. ALL the qualities of God, they are yours. Boldness, it's yours. Compassion, it's yours. Peace, it's yours. They are all in you because Christ is in you! We are in this together, so stop your foolish debating and realize that IT'S ALL YOURS!!"
Let it well up within you! You are nothing, I am nothing-BUT God says we are something. And since Christ is in us-THE TRUTH IS IN US and therefore we have a role to play. So play it; live it. WHOLEHEARTEDLY and PASSIONATELY!
Christ is in you! Let that fact change the way you live! Following Christ is not boring and mundane, it's life to the FULL!
AMEN!
All things are yours!
Hold on wait...say that again...
ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!!!
What does this mean? all things are ours. Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, present, future...they are ours.
WHY?!?!?
Becasuse YOU are of Christ, and Christ is of God!
I don't know about you but this is mindblowing stuff. why haven't i been told this in the 20 years i've been going to church?!? i've been told that i need to read my Bible, that i can't run in church, i was even told once that i shouldn't be chewing gum in church, or heaven forbid i miss church on a sunday, or that i need to tithe 10% of my income....but i was never told "hey Ty, did you know that because you are of Christ that ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!!" i mean, if i heard that earlier and began to understand what that implies, i might have lived quite a bit different and might have thought that my journey in Christ wasn't quite as boring and burdensome as i thought it had to be.
i still don't fully know what this implies but let's look at the text here:
so Paul is writing to this Church in Corinth. Corinth is a happening city, full of parties, women, money, highly educated people talking about the latest ideas and philosphies. it was a port city and was probably very cultured. maybe much like LA or new orleans today. but Paul is writing to the Christians in this city who in this particular chapter are getting hung up on who to follow, who has the better "idea" or "style" of living...Paul? Apollos? or Cephas? he goes on to tell them they are pretty much foolish for trying to figure this out or even debate it by saying...
v. 20-21 "and again, "the Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile. so then, no more boasting about human leaders! all things are yours"
earlier he stated that "the Lord has assigned to each his task...for we are God's CO-WORKERS, God's field, God's building"
v. 5+9
We all have our own tasks but we are together WORKING WITH God to advance His kingdom. So all this stuff about God not needing us...it's bogus. He probably could do it without us but He won't! He WANTS to use us!! We play a role in his plan to redeem this broken world! that's AMAZING!
But the fact that he finishes this whole thought in this chapter by saying "ALL THINGS ARE YOURS" pretty much imples that:
(paraphrased):
"ok guys, stop trying to figure out who is the better leader. those qualities that Paul has, they are yours. those qualities that Apollos and Cephas have, they are yours. Those qualities of the world/nature that are good (beauty, creativity, life, etc), they're yours. ALL the qualities of God, they are yours. Boldness, it's yours. Compassion, it's yours. Peace, it's yours. They are all in you because Christ is in you! We are in this together, so stop your foolish debating and realize that IT'S ALL YOURS!!"
Let it well up within you! You are nothing, I am nothing-BUT God says we are something. And since Christ is in us-THE TRUTH IS IN US and therefore we have a role to play. So play it; live it. WHOLEHEARTEDLY and PASSIONATELY!
Christ is in you! Let that fact change the way you live! Following Christ is not boring and mundane, it's life to the FULL!
AMEN!
3.08.2006
"mind" blowing...
We have the mind of Christ.
John Bussone, a good friend and brother of Christ, spoke at Full Volume the other night. He talked about having Christ in you, in me, in everyone of us that follows Christ. He talked about truth...and how the Bible may be all true and contain maybe 20-30000 "truths" in it. But we, as followers of Christ, have the mind of Christ because He LIVES IN US.
Therefore, we have an infinite amount of truths in us, just wainting to be discovered and lived out. That's why we need each other, that's why Jesus stress's community so much. the more we are together, the more we will grow because of that truth coming out. BUT, you can only go as far as you will allow someone to explore the Christ in you, the truth IN YOU.
So let us explore one another...we NEED each other to grow! Dare i say we need each other more than the Bible? I think i would say that, Paul discusses it in Colassions and you never see the Bible point to itself as the reference of truth, it ALWAYS points to Jesus (thanks John)!!! let us embrace the Christ in one another, may we empty ourselves of us, who on our own are nothing! Let us discover the truth that Christ is in us and let that shape our lives!
For we are dead to sin, but ALIVE in Christ!
John Bussone, a good friend and brother of Christ, spoke at Full Volume the other night. He talked about having Christ in you, in me, in everyone of us that follows Christ. He talked about truth...and how the Bible may be all true and contain maybe 20-30000 "truths" in it. But we, as followers of Christ, have the mind of Christ because He LIVES IN US.
Therefore, we have an infinite amount of truths in us, just wainting to be discovered and lived out. That's why we need each other, that's why Jesus stress's community so much. the more we are together, the more we will grow because of that truth coming out. BUT, you can only go as far as you will allow someone to explore the Christ in you, the truth IN YOU.
So let us explore one another...we NEED each other to grow! Dare i say we need each other more than the Bible? I think i would say that, Paul discusses it in Colassions and you never see the Bible point to itself as the reference of truth, it ALWAYS points to Jesus (thanks John)!!! let us embrace the Christ in one another, may we empty ourselves of us, who on our own are nothing! Let us discover the truth that Christ is in us and let that shape our lives!
For we are dead to sin, but ALIVE in Christ!
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