The way of life-Giglio

In Giglios The Air I Breathe he explains deeply but simplistically that all of us are worshiping. Its not a choice and so many of us get caught up in everyday life not realizing we have been consumed by things in life such as media with time on our phones, computers or in front of the TV and that has become our idol and has "earned" our worship. God created us for relationship and fellowship and within that we are created to become His children and solely worship Him. The Air I breathe is a good read and should be done by every Believer to be reminded where our focus, our seeking and worshiping belongs.  And for worship to be our way of life.

No Arrows-Erwin McManus

One of the best reads in a while. I have read McManus books in the past and was anxiously awaiting to start this book. Page by page is a reminder that we have ONE life to live and we should be well spent at the end of it for Gods glory alone. to quote Francis Chan " Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding in things in life that really don’t matter."

I really liked that Erwin was really open this book from his trouble relationship with his father to his recent battle with Cancer. And what went on in between when he stepped away for 6 years. Just a really good read that I did a lot of high lighting and plan to reread soon. Would recommend this book to everyone. And may we live out the reminder to leave no arrows for Christ alone we live.

WWID

He began looking for just the right moment to hand him over (Matthew 26:16)



This verse caught my attention years ago. And even after "getting my attention" I found I soon had no problem handing Him over. I dont get it, I will never understand it and I would now (finally) never say I wont do it again..and I know for sure its not only me..go way back to the 1700s a 22 year old penned these words.. "Bind my wandering heart to Thee.Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here's my heart, O take and seal it,Seal it for Thy courts above."

Its amazing to me here right in a middle of a worship song we are telling God I love you with all that I am yet with All that I am I find it easy to leave you. Sometimes I struggle but just as many times I simply choose something or somebody else with little or no hesitation.
Its not like I havent tasted Your love, Grace & Mercy. Your blessings have been countless for me and my family. Personally I could have never imagine having such a beautiful wife and son. And opportunity to travel throughout the world. And even in the midst of these "mission trips" I was more prodigal than those I was talking to about needing Jesus. "Prone:" having a tendency or inclination : being likely- Yes thats me (you?). Prone, so easy for me thats why I dont get much of "Christian TV" for "ITS ALL GOOD" until a scandal hits the airwaves. I believe it would help a lot more for Believers to admit their faults and as I posted in a earlier blog not just hey I havent read my Bible in awhile or I eat too much chocolate. No, find a friend (a good one) and share the demons and darkness in your life. Because hey if you are human (or close to it) you have such in your life.
The Blessings, the Bible Reading, devotionals, Christian Music, Christian friends, Church, Prayers..etc etc..You think this would amount to a wall of protection and a engrave reminder not to go our own way. It just seems to come down to the most basic God in all of our lives which is Self, I, ME...if I had a WWJD (and NO I dont, havent had one and dont plan on it) I believe I could wear it while "proning" with no problem. See I would just look down at it and my very desire to please self would blur it and I would see WWID (what would I DO) and when its left up to me, self alone then I know I would be "fulfilling" Matthew 26:16 handing Jesus over as this seems like the "right moment" to do it.
Thank God for His grace and mercy, it is relentless. He loves like no other and I am forever thankful for He is the Only that truly is who He says He is...Jesus, Lover of my Soul. We may know love from another but we will only find Unconditional Love in Him.

Communion Gum

Weird topic but I would say that many church goers have come face to face with the challenge of what to do with "communion gum" You never gave thought to it being "communion Sunday" at your church. Perhaps the act of chewing made you oblivious to the stack of trays on the communion table. But now out of nowhere you hear the pastor begin the service of presenting communion and you are now all but consumed with trying to rid of your gum. Sure the easy way out is to place it in a piece of paper to throw away later but that paper could end up being a grocery list, contact numbers/emails perhaps even last weeks notes. Or do you play it "cool" and try to keep it in your mouth place under your tongue just right as you partake of the bread and juice/wine. Personally this ordeal has caught me off guard and a few times I have tried to just hold it in my hands using the tips of my fingers unfortunately there is a certain brand of gum (Orbit?) that sticks to you like Gorilla glue. And by the time communion is over I have gum stuck to the bottom of the cup and fingers and cannot get it off. Its strung out like a nice bite of hot cheese being pulled from a piece of pizza. Now I'm asking for paper or tissue and like magic I have all 3 stuck together. So now I'm wondering what is this gum actually made of? Who is looking at me. And theres no way I can place this trinity of cup, gum and paper aside so no one will notice. I brought this topic up to some friends, family members and even my pastor and they immediately knew what I was talking about in "communion gum" Makes me wonder if the pastor is ever distracted seeing the congregation use their deepest imagination to rid of gum a split second from entering a very sacred moment.
Thats just it we are distracting ourselves from what is at hand, literally right before us, in and around us, the presence of God and the celebration of remembering that His love is beyond reasoning, explanation but that He would die for you and me. Its even grace that He would tell us to remind one another of what took place, this act of love that has no match throughout history. Some may read this and think I am making light of communion. The truth is I am pointing out the reality that we do make light of communion in various ways. Where has our heart and mind been during the week Monday through Saturday? How about that very Sunday morning. Did we have to get in some sport scores? How was our conversation to our love ones at home and on our way to church. John Acuff gives a message called "Booty God Booty" Where we are consumed with self/world then Sunday we have God back in our life only to return to "booty" by Monday if not in the church parking lot as soon as we exit the church doors.
Making light of communion is certainly no new thing In Corinthians 11 we see communion turned into a party (okay now the gum thing dont seem too bad) "And then I find that you bring your divisions to worship—you come together, and instead of eating the Lord's Supper, you bring in a lot of food from the outside and make pigs of yourselves. Some are left out, and go home hungry. Others have to be carried out, too drunk to walk. I can't believe it! Don't you have your own homes to eat and drink in? Why would you stoop to desecrating God's church? Why would you actually shame God's poor? I never would have believed you would stoop to this. And I'm not going to stand by and say nothing." And you know WHY they had to be told to STOP being glutton pigs and getting hammered at the "communion table" Because believers, the church was actually doing such, thats right they would enter in to partake of sacred communion and leave bloated with food and intoxicated with grape juice (for the extremely conservative we will make believe it was a special Welch’s juice). Most of us have read that and thought man how lost, messed up were they back in the early church. And when we know deep down this is in each one of us. Many of us have done far worst but at the same time we share with one another that our "deepest" sins are we dont read as much as we should and perhaps too much TV. When in reality sinfulness goes deep and wide in our hearts and minds. As one person put it if we were truthful some of our thoughts would have Jesus drinking gin from a cat dish. There is a saying (that has been credited to Augustine but seems no one is certain) The church is a whore but she is my mother No matter who said it or in what context I understand such that we as a body tend to sell out for most trivial things. The church has committed tragedies in the name of Christ. We have come to His table as a ragamuffin and been a made pure, holy, saint overflowing with His grace and mercy only to leave stumbling back into the world consume with self. Im not sure how we "pull this one off" and quickly forget what God has done and is doing for us and what He has for us as we take our very last breathe. Communion indeed is more of a invitation then a refusal/denial. Jesus wants us to come to the table but how tiresome is it for all involve, spiritual draining for only that one moment to be your connection with God for the week, the month. I believe theres a call for us to always see the table before us. In the best of times and in the wilderness where there only seems to be darkness and storms. Jesus remains awaiting for us to come and at that table we are His children, sons and daughter. There is no caste system in Jesus eyes and at this table we are practicing and preparing for the grand banquet where once and for all at His table the lame can walk, the deaf can hear, the blind can see, the poor are rich, and the weak are strong. The lost are found. No shame. No condemnation. More than enough reason to be in awe. Jesus says “Come and Remember Me”
　
Let me go over with you again exactly what goes on in the Lord's Supper and why it is so centrally important. I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me.After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me.What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt.
27-28Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of "remembrance" you want to be part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe.

What Makes Sense?....

Nothing. From the extreme ends of tragedy to the ultimate gifts that comes out of someones love, grace and mercy. None of it makes sense. We learn early on that life isnt fair (to say the least) but that doesnt soften the blow that breaks our heart, brings us to our knees, as tears magnify the pain and we find seclusion and numbness to be our friend and enemy at the same time. When one is mad as hell or doenst care if they dont see a tomorrow. There are no words. Many say on this side of Heaven we dont understand but do you really believe on the other side this would Ever make sense to the heart and mind that is suffocating from their loss. And for those of us who proclaim to be Believers lets STOP coming up with "answers" or even a "message" using someone elses tragedy and for the love of God dont offer 3 simple steps, the "i know how you feel" or other countless cliche sayings to "speak" into someones life, enough already. How about admitting many things dont make sense to us. How about a offering of silence with your words and scream with your action in just being there for a world that is hurting.

"Alle, alle auch sind frei!"

"Followers" I believe this is the term used for those following such blogs. Webster describes followers as 1 a : one in the service of another : retainer b : one that follows the opinions or teachings of another c : one that imitates another2 archaic : one that chases. But here following is possible without notice/interaction. But in life, everyday living following will lead to interaction and indeed give notice to those around us. So who are we following? I'm asking this to the reader and at the same time questioning myself. Who and/or what are we chasing after? As a Believer the obvious answer(Sunday school answer) is Jesus Christ but I know many times I find myself simply following self and all the wants.moods,desires that seems fit for self. I will watch what I say, write, blog at times because I'm "concern" what this person/people might think (and I'm not talking about being considerate) making for that moment that person my "leader". This pass weekend I saw a "special" on a preacher (of course he now gets a one hour special since his teachings are against the main steam church they (News) wouldn't think of interviewing a pastor such as Greg Laurie, Francis Chan, Charles Swindoll, Andy Stanley for an hour well that is unless they "fall") who after preaching the gospel for years decided that there was no way his grandparents could have went to hell and for that matter not even Hitler so he said God led him to proclaim "Olly olly oxen free " (okay thats my version) or as he put it God told him to preach this new message that Hell is a place in life, and that after death. Everybody is redeemed. Everybody.. And immediately Im thinking some deep thoughts like "REALLY?!" and "SERIOUSLY!!" To quote the great musician & philosopher Steve Taylor "I'm no theology nut, but the reverend may be a little confused" So he and his assistants were surprise that they were dismissed by mentors and many churches didn't want him preaching at their church (I think Im a bit surprise that this surprised him but I guess the preaching another gospel thing changed in his mind as well) Anyway towards the end of this program this man who is now preaching heresy (not exactly the Truth ) said he believed the majority of the church is following a cult version of Christ. And I was like wow I cant disagree with that one at all. As its been said," God created man in His image and man returned the favor" When the true Gospel and preach and we are challenge to live according to books like ACTS we start looking for that new leader. Francis Chan told how members of his church question if he was heading towards being cult because he talked so much about giving money and things away aka blessed that we may bless others. I have no great closing for this but I do know most of us if not all of us keep running of the trails set before us to find another leader or even worst a make believe Gospel one that fits us for short term or long term. The thing is we need to be sure who we are following because there are many (family,friends,children,neighbors,strangers) following our lead.

Comments on Being Real? Part II

A p.s. to the previous post ..just to add a final thought by Gall towards those who think he is trying to "glorify sin". The Truth is we have a tendency to let people know the real us because of not being acceptance but thankfully God already knows Everything about you and me. And as Gall explains the Bible is quite open about the dirty laundy in peoples lives. We do need to find that somebody in our live to share our deepest struggles, hurts, hopes, desires and dreams. Or as one of my friend puts it there is a need to "vomit" our "stuff" on one another...Now (finally) the final thoughts...
Im not interested in being slave to or defined by my sins Im not looking to be a hero for them. I don’t even want to hold onto them. But certainly there must be some way for me to make sense of my sins, to learn what is true in the face of pain and confusion and lack of control I’ve known. Isn’t there? And I can think of dozens of really nasty stories in the Bible, about a woman driving a tent spike through a man’s head into the ground, or about a king-a man “after God’s own heart,” no less-who sees a woman bathing and later sends her husband to certain death so the king can cover up the fact that he’s already knocked her up, or about Jesus taking and eating wheat from another man’s field on the Sabbath when all of the good religious people were scandalized by such forbidden behavior. Beyond those are a whole assortment of stories about rape, incest, adultery, idolatry, murder-everything. If there is a point to the experiences in the Bible, if those stories mean something when held up to the light of God, why wouldn’t it make sense for me, or anyone else, to do the same?
I think Pamela’s comment during the Bible study was perfect. In fact, if there was a problem, it was treading so naively on ground made sacred by the battle between good and evil for the prize of our souls and sanctification. My battles and my temptations are hard places, bloody and filthy places, sacred places, where the image of God I bear is under significant attack. It is a holy place, and it is not a trivial pursuit. If you’re going to wander where the cows graze, you’d better be ready to get your shoes dirty.