Beautiful, Scandalous Night...

Happy Beautiful Scandalous Easter
This Easter think about what it means that Jesus arose from the dead. Without such news the cross would mean little, well actually nothing. We are in desperate need of a risen Savior. Think about how everything first fell apart in the Garden with Adam & Eve. And the very first time the risen Savior is seen He is mistaken for a gardener, that is beautiful irony. In just the first few chapters of Genesis mankind had exited shamefully from the Garden and man has spent the remaining chapters of the Book and life to get back to the Garden. A paradise, a peace, a hope, a Love that is unconditional and because of this thing we called Easter also known as a "Beautiful, Scandalous Night"..

At the wonderful, tragic, mysterious tree On that beautiful, scandalous night you and me Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white On that beautiful, scandalous night

Dont let this go by us so easily this year. Take a quiet time with a sunset and let your heart and mind go those moments on the cross. The movie Passion doesnt (and cannot) touch the emotional & spiritual pain that took place in Christ solely for you and me Beyond the Easter Bunny, candies, nice dinners, church service there is more so much more..In closing Steven James sums it up just right..

The bunny has upstaged the rabbi and stolen the show. The search for plastic eggs has replaced the search for a missing body. Easter has evolved into just another nice,harmless,spineless. little holiday with the climax being a bunch of snot-nosed kids fighting over a piece of chocolate, when its supposed to be about a wrestling match between life & death, a cosmic struggle between good and evil. Easter has lots of lilies and spring hats and piles of fake, green, curly plastic grass stuff, but none of that has anything to do with the raw reality of a bloody cross and the final hope of the empty tomb. The truth is most people just aren't moved by the Easter story anymore. Its like we've walked in at the end of the movie and we just don't get what all the fuss is about. "Is something wrong?" The people who are crying shake their heads. "Then why are you crying?"..the empty tomb doesn't make sense without the cross, the cross doesn't make sense without the manger in Bethlehem and the manger doesn't make sense without the Garden of Eden. Its All one story. And only when you finally untangle it, see its scope, and enter it for yourself do you realize that the story has finally entered and at last untangled you."- Steven James (Story)
Easter such a Beautiful, Scandalous Night...
"Go on up to the mountain of mercy *To the crimson perpetual tide *Kneel down on the shore Be thirsty no more* Go under and be purified*Go on up to the mountain of mercy *To the crimson perpetual tide *Kneel down on the shore* Be thirsty no more Go under and be purified"

losing MY religion

Again thanks for taking time in reading this,,,religion has been on my mind so much lately as in the lack of Christianity among Christians. We are quick to give answers and these answers we are not even living out ourselves, but hey it sounds good.
One of the "favorite quotes" Christianity isn't about religion its about relationship, really? While that is true the question that needs to be asked is this true in our lives? Personally if Christianity is based on relationship then I know I'm a lot closer to religion.
Years ago in this movie a young lady said she told a teacher you are my favorite teacher and the teacher replies then why didn't you pay more attention to me..and she adds I sort of see God the same way. And that makes me think about my walk, this relationship. I lack so much quiet time, devotional time, call it what you will but its lacking. And such shallowness leads to not seeing Him in every aspect of life. Most of us in the last 2 years have chased after time with Facebook than the face of our Savior. See that's what Jesus Christ is Savior, Lord, God, ..how much time does such deserve?
Rich Mullins said he was once asked who his hero was and he replied St. Francis of Assisi and the person said but why isn't Jesus your hero? Rich replied Hes my Savior not my hero. Again I think many of us tend to treat Him as a hero who perhaps saved us from drowning and at one point perhaps we couldn't get enough time with Him and show thankfulness but now its okay if we just keep in touch. Its like we are "tweeting" God. Our words and ways have lost their meaning much like the worlds views on holidays.
Churches are quick to criticize the water down version of Sacred Holidays but are we not the ones leading this dance. Which matters more the world saying Happy Holidays or Christians Spending millions for "toys"/gadgets rather than giving to those that need it most? Lets see "what do you get one who has everything" or how about clean water for the one who absolutely has next to nothing.. We really are in need of a reality check. As we go into the doors of the meeting place we called Church (btw..we are the church not the building) and as we leave. I believe many of us are clinging to how God see things through our eyes and yet we should be seeing through His eyes, to love what He loves, and hate what He hates, and finally a passion to be with Him. To Know Him. To Know Him More and More..
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3

God Delusion

Awhile ago I read Dawkins God Delusion. Of course I knew I would disagree with some if not most of the book. But I did think there would be more "facts" to openly discuss or debate not so much the disdain (yeah thats the subtitle for this read)...what follows are quotes and questions from Mr Dawkins.

He spends several pages on Hitler proclaiming to be a Christian only to announce the absurdity of such statements as Hitler stated his dislike for Christianity. Blames the effect of religion when tragedy was done in the name of such but "of course" atheism doesnt affect ones action? Lets continue with more thoughts..Most theologians say the bible stories are not to be taken literally. Really? "It could be argue that humans are more capable of suffering than animals but theres no absolute distinction"-Well thats a big smile or smirk from the gang at Peta. He states that there was a police strike in Canada and lots of looting took place therefore he proclaims this shows no fear of God, well yea people in general are self seeking, and extremely fickle..that is clearly shown in the Word, OT and NT...Dawkins asks What if dna was found proving Jesus had a father? That is a BIG "What If"..and then he adds that there is No evidence that Jesus thought he was divine. Ah well no not if one isnt counting what Jesus actually said about Himself. Like if You have seen me you have seen the Father(God) and the words "I AM" really bother the Jews back in the day. Dawkins add God is the ultimate boeing 747? (if there is a creator he has to start somewhere) design cant be the answer because who design the designer. This will spin forever in circle into the ground..Hard to grasp but many (even if religions are different) believe that Yes Life, creation Started somewhere with somebody aka Creator in this case God. Dawkins defending his side says its Utterly illogical to demand complete documentation of every step. Okay great but you seem to want every question answered from Christians? By the way there seems to be a few steps missing in something came from nothing.

And in closing Dawkins ask When a woman is told she only has months to live due to cancer why doesn’t she beam with excitement? REALLY? This man is knowledgeable right:? Gets paid to write books,etc and many follow his words..So being a christian this woman (man) should have tears (pain) in the thought of leaving love ones behind (family, friends, children, grandchildren) and not too mention pain and love ones watching him suffer. I would say this question is absurd but that is a understatement. His disdain for religion, Christianity definitely has twisted his thinking. And finally he questions Why don’t religious people talk about hope in the presence of dying. Well again I question this in wondering how many Christians has Mr Dawkins been around as they died, passed from this life onto the next life. And Mr Dawkins through it all CHRISTIANS do have this HOPE in the presence of all things including dying. Its nothing they have done or can do but what Christ has done and will do, that and that alone is Our Hope!