Encouraging news to know not all is lost out there in corporate America, especially at a uber-company like Disney, which has come under attack in recent years.
You just have to wonder how long before the national media gets wind of this and people start to demand changes and a possible dismissal of Mr. Weiss.
Until such time, continue to pray......
Link takes you to Steve McCoy's Blog entitled 'Reformissionary' (which I link too on this blog and periodically check in on and read.)
"Disney Executive Planting Churches"
Friday, December 09, 2005
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Free Verse 1 - Ephesians 4:1
The post to follow is hopefully one of many "short and sweet" walks through a Bible verse or Bible story that I would like to call 'Free Verse'. Peel layers off these stories and break them down. Get you thinking on a different subject. Get away from the "3 bullet points" method and look at the poetry, free verse as it is written. Break down specific verses word by word, comma, by comma. Disect expressions. I really have no intention to get into ancient translations or "when translated from Aramic into Engligh, it means...." discussions. Just what my experiences have been. Either on my own study and thought or through readings and messages I have heard. These have all been blessings to me and helped me through my life. I feel the desire to pass this onto you. In cases where it is due, after each post I will give the source that sparked the thought. Finally, I honestly look foward to hearing from many of you and learning even more from all of you. God Bless.
************************************************************************************
"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called." (Ephesians 4:1 NKJV)
This verse is often used by us to state the fact that God has called us out of this world. Using in conjunction with Romans 12:1-2 we are called to God to not be conformed and to present ourselves a "holy, acceptable" sacrifice of our bodies to God. There is a way for all of us, as believers and Christians to go about our daily lives and do the things we do. To be an example and model of Jesus. To be truly Christian, which is "a little Christ."
But what if we have missed the mark on this verse? Afterall, how do we pump gas in 10 degree temperatures and let the whole world around us know we are a Christian? What can we do at the ATM machine that would let the person in the car behind us waiting know we are "little Christ's?" Wear t-shirts and put bumper stickers on our cars? How effective is that really? It seems that everyone has a bumper sticker telling something on their car. Many people (like myself, seems self-centered, I know, but I know there are others) cannot stand the loud, obnoxious t-shirts people seem to wear.
So, if we have missed the point, what is it? Peel a layer or two back and look at the whole verse. Look at how Paul starts this verse: "I, therefore, a prisoner..." He has been dubbed a prisoner by the world. But Paul puts the little qualifier at the end of the expression by saying, "of the Lord," So when we read the whole expression he says: "I, therefore, a prisoner of the Lord..." Paul has been called a prisoner by the world.
He states, a prisoner of the Lord!
Throughout all the Pauline epistles, letters, disseratations, and essays Paul stresses the fact that we are all free under Christ, no matter where or what we are in the world. Even if they call you a prisoner. Paul stated this freedom many times while being in prison himself. He wasn't tied down or held down by the world's chains, and cuffs, and qualifiers and monikers they can lay on you. So while he is a prisoner of this world by being a prisoner of the Lord he is actually, truly FREE.
Think of some of the other things the world can call you. The word list is endless. Expressions and concepts as well. Brutal, nasty statements. But these do not define us or make us who we are. Paul knew this first hand and more than anyone who may have ever lived outside of Jesus himself. So Paul, stating that he is a
(called by the world) prisoner
(called of God) of the Lord
beseechs us to walk worthy of the calling with which we were called. Paul sets us up by showing the paradox of the world's definition and God's definition. Shows us he understands it and then beseeches us to walk worthy of God's definition.
So, to me, it seem natual that after you realize that Christ has called you and defined you specifically that you have to walk worthy of this calling. Make it legit. Not to say it isn't already because once God said it, it was so. But to "walk the walk." You see it is easy to gloss over the fact that God has called us. But step back and re-read that.
"...the calling to which you were called."
God has called each and everyone of us. This calling is specific to all of us. It is a specific label he gives to you and it is a specific name he gives to me. I have mine and you have yours and they are spoken into our hearts by God. When you truly grasp this, truly meditate and open up your heart to this calling, God will speak it to you. When this happens, when your heart is laid open before God's throne and he speaks into it HIS calling, you will walk worthy of this calling. Walk worthy of the fact that God has directly spoken into you and given you a name that no one or no thing can take from you. This is your label. This is the real you.
Paul had been called something by God, and that defined him! God has called all of us something and that defines us. As such, we have to walk worthy of that calling. Honestly, how can you not walk worthy of the Almighy God's calling of your name into the core of your heart.
It can be mind boggling and earth shattering.
************************************************************************************
This message was preached by my pastor on Sunday 12/04/05. I do it no justice here with my drastic paraphrasing. I honestly heard God speak into my heart at the end of this message. I heard his calling and know what he has called me. The experience shook me to my core and I broke down in church. Not in the sadness that typically accompanies a "Baptist altar call." but in rejoicing and solidification of my relationship with God. I stayed in my pew, next to my wife and just wept. I couldn't even make it through the first verse of "How Great Thou Art." (the same song that means so much to my wife and I that we had the whole congregation sing this specific song at our wedding, I am sure the timeliness of all this was providential, I never give notion to coincidence). I am at a point right now where I cannot share the specific calling right now. The experience is too precious to me. I cannot even bring myself to tell Michele. But I truly believe if we open our hearts to God and ask him to speak into it, he will. He probably already has, we've just never tuned in.
Read Epehsians 4:1 again and reread it until it sinks in. Tune into God and he will speak to you.
God Bless
************************************************************************************
"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called." (Ephesians 4:1 NKJV)
This verse is often used by us to state the fact that God has called us out of this world. Using in conjunction with Romans 12:1-2 we are called to God to not be conformed and to present ourselves a "holy, acceptable" sacrifice of our bodies to God. There is a way for all of us, as believers and Christians to go about our daily lives and do the things we do. To be an example and model of Jesus. To be truly Christian, which is "a little Christ."
But what if we have missed the mark on this verse? Afterall, how do we pump gas in 10 degree temperatures and let the whole world around us know we are a Christian? What can we do at the ATM machine that would let the person in the car behind us waiting know we are "little Christ's?" Wear t-shirts and put bumper stickers on our cars? How effective is that really? It seems that everyone has a bumper sticker telling something on their car. Many people (like myself, seems self-centered, I know, but I know there are others) cannot stand the loud, obnoxious t-shirts people seem to wear.
So, if we have missed the point, what is it? Peel a layer or two back and look at the whole verse. Look at how Paul starts this verse: "I, therefore, a prisoner..." He has been dubbed a prisoner by the world. But Paul puts the little qualifier at the end of the expression by saying, "of the Lord," So when we read the whole expression he says: "I, therefore, a prisoner of the Lord..." Paul has been called a prisoner by the world.
He states, a prisoner of the Lord!
Throughout all the Pauline epistles, letters, disseratations, and essays Paul stresses the fact that we are all free under Christ, no matter where or what we are in the world. Even if they call you a prisoner. Paul stated this freedom many times while being in prison himself. He wasn't tied down or held down by the world's chains, and cuffs, and qualifiers and monikers they can lay on you. So while he is a prisoner of this world by being a prisoner of the Lord he is actually, truly FREE.
Think of some of the other things the world can call you. The word list is endless. Expressions and concepts as well. Brutal, nasty statements. But these do not define us or make us who we are. Paul knew this first hand and more than anyone who may have ever lived outside of Jesus himself. So Paul, stating that he is a
(called by the world) prisoner
(called of God) of the Lord
beseechs us to walk worthy of the calling with which we were called. Paul sets us up by showing the paradox of the world's definition and God's definition. Shows us he understands it and then beseeches us to walk worthy of God's definition.
So, to me, it seem natual that after you realize that Christ has called you and defined you specifically that you have to walk worthy of this calling. Make it legit. Not to say it isn't already because once God said it, it was so. But to "walk the walk." You see it is easy to gloss over the fact that God has called us. But step back and re-read that.
"...the calling to which you were called."
God has called each and everyone of us. This calling is specific to all of us. It is a specific label he gives to you and it is a specific name he gives to me. I have mine and you have yours and they are spoken into our hearts by God. When you truly grasp this, truly meditate and open up your heart to this calling, God will speak it to you. When this happens, when your heart is laid open before God's throne and he speaks into it HIS calling, you will walk worthy of this calling. Walk worthy of the fact that God has directly spoken into you and given you a name that no one or no thing can take from you. This is your label. This is the real you.
Paul had been called something by God, and that defined him! God has called all of us something and that defines us. As such, we have to walk worthy of that calling. Honestly, how can you not walk worthy of the Almighy God's calling of your name into the core of your heart.
It can be mind boggling and earth shattering.
************************************************************************************
This message was preached by my pastor on Sunday 12/04/05. I do it no justice here with my drastic paraphrasing. I honestly heard God speak into my heart at the end of this message. I heard his calling and know what he has called me. The experience shook me to my core and I broke down in church. Not in the sadness that typically accompanies a "Baptist altar call." but in rejoicing and solidification of my relationship with God. I stayed in my pew, next to my wife and just wept. I couldn't even make it through the first verse of "How Great Thou Art." (the same song that means so much to my wife and I that we had the whole congregation sing this specific song at our wedding, I am sure the timeliness of all this was providential, I never give notion to coincidence). I am at a point right now where I cannot share the specific calling right now. The experience is too precious to me. I cannot even bring myself to tell Michele. But I truly believe if we open our hearts to God and ask him to speak into it, he will. He probably already has, we've just never tuned in.
Read Epehsians 4:1 again and reread it until it sinks in. Tune into God and he will speak to you.
God Bless
Saturday, December 03, 2005
"While I sat still and drank beer with Philiip and Amsdorf, God dealt the papacy a mighty blow." - Martin Luther
Thank God for Martin Luther. The founder of the Reformation (although he was not looking to break from the Roman Catholic church, but rather "reform" the church. Unfortunately, they didn't listen). Whew, thank goodness he opened his Bible and pondered and compared what the Bible said to what the dominant religion of that time was saying. All these "rules" and "interpretations" that all had to follow. All he had heard his whole life were indulgences, purgatory, papal supremacy, etc. It is easy for us, because we see the difference and heresy that were handed down from the church of that day. We have so many references and manuals and interpretations to get our hands on. Hebrew, Greek, and Latin language translations with the "true" meaning of what the written word says.
However, amongst the protestants, we still have disagreements on exactly what those translations even are (think alcohol, baptism, communion, tongues, etc.). Pastors and evangelists preach these topics from the pulpit. They also write books and publish essays on these subjects. Many people sit in the pew and listen, or grab a latte and sit in their local Starbucks and ponder and discuss, or lounge at home on the couch reading these published essays and reports. The "educated" people read or study both sides of the argument and come to a conclusion on how they see things.
Martin simply used the Bible. That simple. Well, actually it isn't. What I mean by it wasn't easy is that Martin was human. Me and you are human. Many humans have a tendency to doubt themselves. Think of the times you heard something from the pulpit, did some studying in the Bible, and found what you heard to be incorrect. How easy is it for you to walk up to that pastor or evangelist and tell them what your argument is? Even though you are very confident and maybe even now know you are 100% correct. Still you feel a sense of hesitation. What if I am wrong? What if I missed an angle? What if I am trying to make something right that really is wrong? Afterall, they are an ordained minister and went to school for this. Maybe I'll just keep this to myself. Why ruffle feathers or shuffle the deck?
Maybe this only happens to me. I doubt it though. I believe it happens to almost everyone if not everyone. Just some can hide it better. Luther didn't have all the resources available to him like we have now. Yet, he found 95 individual errors of what the church was teaching at that time. He then took those, wrote them down on paper, walked down to the church and nailed them to the door. Sure, there was some early work done by other "reformers" for Martin to go on, but his ultimate authority was the Bible. Thank God Martin put Hebrews 4:12 into action. I cannot imagine it was an easy thing to do. I am sure he had self doubt and hesitation. He poured over Scripture and talked and dialogued with trusted companions through speech and letter. Yet "the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God" convicted and compelled him to change all of history.
I sometimes wonder what Luther did while he traveled down the cobblestone walkway. Did he walk with his head down and at a quick pace so no one would see him? Did he "pump himself up" by talking to himself? Did he turn around and head home once? twice? Three times? When he got to the door, were his hands shaking so bad that he fumbled with the hammer or nail and dropped it? Did the thud resonante in the night like a gunshot would now outside our window? Did he hesitate one last time before driving that nail into the door? Did he stop to reread the letter to check for spelling mistakes? After he nailed it to the door, did he think of pulling it off the door?
I could go on and on. Feel free to add your own possibilities and think of what you would do. Think about Luther on his way home. How did he sleep that night? What did he dream?
How hard is it for us to go through with something as minor as our thought on alcohol? Luther went about to reorganize and restructure the entire church! The worse that happens to us is the preacher argues better and quotes Bible verses better and we feel a sense of humiliation. Luther faced excommunication and possible death (he was dubbed an outlaw by the church at his trial, as such, anyone could kill him and face no punishment). Luther didn't worry about his reputation or possibility of facing humiliation. He wasn't selfish, he realized he wasn't the center of the universe. The Bible said that we are, "saved by grace through faith...it is the gift of God...not of works..." Everyone needed to know this, the whole church and all people. He did what he had to to make sure this happen. He even put the Word of God in everyone's hand by being the first to translate the New Testament into German.
When I add all this up, it is truly amazing that Luther went through with all this.
Then again, maybe he walked to the church, nailed the letter to the door, walked home, enjoyed a late night brew with Philiip and Amsdorf and retired for the evening and got a full 8 hours of sleep.
However, amongst the protestants, we still have disagreements on exactly what those translations even are (think alcohol, baptism, communion, tongues, etc.). Pastors and evangelists preach these topics from the pulpit. They also write books and publish essays on these subjects. Many people sit in the pew and listen, or grab a latte and sit in their local Starbucks and ponder and discuss, or lounge at home on the couch reading these published essays and reports. The "educated" people read or study both sides of the argument and come to a conclusion on how they see things.
Martin simply used the Bible. That simple. Well, actually it isn't. What I mean by it wasn't easy is that Martin was human. Me and you are human. Many humans have a tendency to doubt themselves. Think of the times you heard something from the pulpit, did some studying in the Bible, and found what you heard to be incorrect. How easy is it for you to walk up to that pastor or evangelist and tell them what your argument is? Even though you are very confident and maybe even now know you are 100% correct. Still you feel a sense of hesitation. What if I am wrong? What if I missed an angle? What if I am trying to make something right that really is wrong? Afterall, they are an ordained minister and went to school for this. Maybe I'll just keep this to myself. Why ruffle feathers or shuffle the deck?
Maybe this only happens to me. I doubt it though. I believe it happens to almost everyone if not everyone. Just some can hide it better. Luther didn't have all the resources available to him like we have now. Yet, he found 95 individual errors of what the church was teaching at that time. He then took those, wrote them down on paper, walked down to the church and nailed them to the door. Sure, there was some early work done by other "reformers" for Martin to go on, but his ultimate authority was the Bible. Thank God Martin put Hebrews 4:12 into action. I cannot imagine it was an easy thing to do. I am sure he had self doubt and hesitation. He poured over Scripture and talked and dialogued with trusted companions through speech and letter. Yet "the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God" convicted and compelled him to change all of history.
I sometimes wonder what Luther did while he traveled down the cobblestone walkway. Did he walk with his head down and at a quick pace so no one would see him? Did he "pump himself up" by talking to himself? Did he turn around and head home once? twice? Three times? When he got to the door, were his hands shaking so bad that he fumbled with the hammer or nail and dropped it? Did the thud resonante in the night like a gunshot would now outside our window? Did he hesitate one last time before driving that nail into the door? Did he stop to reread the letter to check for spelling mistakes? After he nailed it to the door, did he think of pulling it off the door?
I could go on and on. Feel free to add your own possibilities and think of what you would do. Think about Luther on his way home. How did he sleep that night? What did he dream?
How hard is it for us to go through with something as minor as our thought on alcohol? Luther went about to reorganize and restructure the entire church! The worse that happens to us is the preacher argues better and quotes Bible verses better and we feel a sense of humiliation. Luther faced excommunication and possible death (he was dubbed an outlaw by the church at his trial, as such, anyone could kill him and face no punishment). Luther didn't worry about his reputation or possibility of facing humiliation. He wasn't selfish, he realized he wasn't the center of the universe. The Bible said that we are, "saved by grace through faith...it is the gift of God...not of works..." Everyone needed to know this, the whole church and all people. He did what he had to to make sure this happen. He even put the Word of God in everyone's hand by being the first to translate the New Testament into German.
When I add all this up, it is truly amazing that Luther went through with all this.
Then again, maybe he walked to the church, nailed the letter to the door, walked home, enjoyed a late night brew with Philiip and Amsdorf and retired for the evening and got a full 8 hours of sleep.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
A Radical Reformission through a Search of God Knows What
I have not written much in about a month now. Part of this reason (actually a big part) is I have been reading "Searching for God Knows What" by Donald Miller and "Radical Reformission: Reaching Out Without Selling Out" by Mark Driscoll. Both of these books have me re-evaluating myself and the way I go about doing things. Tie this in with the last 3 sermons by my pastor at my home church (Friendship Baptist Church) and what I use to thing was up is now down and east is now my west.
You see the last month has been mind-boggling to me in how this is all "seemingly coming together." As such, I have been reading my previous posts and realizing how "off" I really am. Not in terms of spiritual or political or social beliefs, but in my priorities and the reason I do some of the things I do. As I looked over many of my posts, I realize that I would like to rewrite almost all of them. Maybe not rewrite but rather edit them.
This is too hard to explain in words, but rather it is my wish that anyone would read the 2 books I mentioned above:
"Searching for God Knows What" by Donald Miller
"Radical Reformission: Reaching Out Without Selling Out" by Mark Driscoll
Click on both titles and you will be taken to the Amazon.com location for both books. I encourage everyone to buy these books or visit your local library and check them out (although I promise you, you'll wish you had bought them.)
Donald Miller is also the author of "Blue Like Jazz," another amazing book.
Mark Driscoll is pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Go to their website (click here). There you can find hundreds of sermons and commentary for you to download to a windows media player and listen to while at home or on the job. You can also save them in mp3 format and enjoy them whenever you want. There is ALOT of good stuff at that website for you to listen to.
This may sound insane, but I would consider buying them for you as a "Christmas" gift if money is an issue. I truly belief these books could change your life as it did mine, or maybe it will re-affirm what you already know and have been living all along. I am serious.
As for my next post, I am not sure what it will be on. I may re-do a previous one or continue on my train of thought I have had recently. But things look a whole lot to different to me now than they did a little over a month ago. My motivation and outlook on life has definitely taken a change, for the better.
Until next time, God Bless
Brian
You see the last month has been mind-boggling to me in how this is all "seemingly coming together." As such, I have been reading my previous posts and realizing how "off" I really am. Not in terms of spiritual or political or social beliefs, but in my priorities and the reason I do some of the things I do. As I looked over many of my posts, I realize that I would like to rewrite almost all of them. Maybe not rewrite but rather edit them.
This is too hard to explain in words, but rather it is my wish that anyone would read the 2 books I mentioned above:
"Searching for God Knows What" by Donald Miller
"Radical Reformission: Reaching Out Without Selling Out" by Mark Driscoll
Click on both titles and you will be taken to the Amazon.com location for both books. I encourage everyone to buy these books or visit your local library and check them out (although I promise you, you'll wish you had bought them.)
Donald Miller is also the author of "Blue Like Jazz," another amazing book.
Mark Driscoll is pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Go to their website (click here). There you can find hundreds of sermons and commentary for you to download to a windows media player and listen to while at home or on the job. You can also save them in mp3 format and enjoy them whenever you want. There is ALOT of good stuff at that website for you to listen to.
This may sound insane, but I would consider buying them for you as a "Christmas" gift if money is an issue. I truly belief these books could change your life as it did mine, or maybe it will re-affirm what you already know and have been living all along. I am serious.
As for my next post, I am not sure what it will be on. I may re-do a previous one or continue on my train of thought I have had recently. But things look a whole lot to different to me now than they did a little over a month ago. My motivation and outlook on life has definitely taken a change, for the better.
Until next time, God Bless
Brian
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
The Bible says so... (Pt.2)
I feel the need to further explain my last post. Maybe not needed, but I feel it is. Many times, in my haste of writing, I leave out complete thoughts I had or after taking a day or two and coming back to it, I see a self-perceived shortcoming.
This happens alot with me, but this subject, I felt, requires more explanation.
I truly believe that the Bible is the divine, inspired, exact word of God. No exceptions anywhere. Further, I do believe the 66 books in the current Bible is exactly the whole Bible. Nothing more, nothing less. Findings such as The Apocrypha, Dead Sea Scrolls, maybe even the Gnostic Gospels by not being included does not mean they aren't good reads and provide more insight and spur thought. However, so is C.S. Lewis and none of his writings appear in the Bible. This is how I view such items as The Apocrypha, Dead Sea Scrolls, etc.
This leads itself further that to qoute these sources in the same context as a Bible is incorrect.
But back to the divine inspiration of the Bible, nothing trumps it. The problem exists in the secular world. If I have a conversation with my wife or one of my close friends, we can qoute the Bible all night long and not think twice about its authenticity. But nonbelievers do not believe in this. Many will and do write you off as uneducated and almost idiotic. This is very sad but true. The claim I am making is that you need to be able to do more than this. Nothing should ever stop you from telling the story of Creation as it is written in the Bible, but the unfortunate and very sad truth is that you may have to do more than this when you are epxlaining something to an unbeliever.
Finally, this leads me to something I failed miserably at with the first post. The focus of a Christian is leading someone to Jesus. Not arguing for Jesus. The Gospel is "The Good News" and this should be our focus. But this doesn't mean discussions do not happen with unbelievers. Even Paul "disputed in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met him." But if you read further (the whole 'MarsHill' story is in Acts 17:16-34) you'll see that Paul did not pass on the chance to share the gospel with these people. Matter of fact, it is the last thing he says.
This should always be our focus. I am guilty myself of going to the coffee shop and "talking theology" with my unbeliever friends. I feel a sense of accomplishment about it, like I am speaking out for God and defending his word. That is noble and all, but Jesus' last command to us was to go to all nations and preach the gospel.
I hope this answered many questions and helped but into perspective where my first post failed. As always I anticpate all comments and questions on all my writings here.
Until next time
Brian
This happens alot with me, but this subject, I felt, requires more explanation.
I truly believe that the Bible is the divine, inspired, exact word of God. No exceptions anywhere. Further, I do believe the 66 books in the current Bible is exactly the whole Bible. Nothing more, nothing less. Findings such as The Apocrypha, Dead Sea Scrolls, maybe even the Gnostic Gospels by not being included does not mean they aren't good reads and provide more insight and spur thought. However, so is C.S. Lewis and none of his writings appear in the Bible. This is how I view such items as The Apocrypha, Dead Sea Scrolls, etc.
This leads itself further that to qoute these sources in the same context as a Bible is incorrect.
But back to the divine inspiration of the Bible, nothing trumps it. The problem exists in the secular world. If I have a conversation with my wife or one of my close friends, we can qoute the Bible all night long and not think twice about its authenticity. But nonbelievers do not believe in this. Many will and do write you off as uneducated and almost idiotic. This is very sad but true. The claim I am making is that you need to be able to do more than this. Nothing should ever stop you from telling the story of Creation as it is written in the Bible, but the unfortunate and very sad truth is that you may have to do more than this when you are epxlaining something to an unbeliever.
Finally, this leads me to something I failed miserably at with the first post. The focus of a Christian is leading someone to Jesus. Not arguing for Jesus. The Gospel is "The Good News" and this should be our focus. But this doesn't mean discussions do not happen with unbelievers. Even Paul "disputed in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met him." But if you read further (the whole 'MarsHill' story is in Acts 17:16-34) you'll see that Paul did not pass on the chance to share the gospel with these people. Matter of fact, it is the last thing he says.
This should always be our focus. I am guilty myself of going to the coffee shop and "talking theology" with my unbeliever friends. I feel a sense of accomplishment about it, like I am speaking out for God and defending his word. That is noble and all, but Jesus' last command to us was to go to all nations and preach the gospel.
I hope this answered many questions and helped but into perspective where my first post failed. As always I anticpate all comments and questions on all my writings here.
Until next time
Brian
Thursday, November 03, 2005
The Bible says so....
Editor's Note:
*********************************************************************
I think the expression, "Because the Bible says so" (or any expression similar) is a very haphazzard response and is an expression that should be struck from most conversations. Maybe not in the midst of other Christians or Bible-believers, but definitely in your day-to-day dealings with the secular world.
Now obviously, the Bible does say Jesus was born and died and rose again and is the only source of salvation. And I am not really talking about the core doctrines of salvation, redemtpion, faith, and grace. I am talking about the peripherals or the extras if you will. Which, if we were all honest, is what most people get hung up on and use as excuses to not become Christian, or attend church, or whatever. These core doctrines can really only be explained by walking someone through the Bible and showing them the written word and having dialogue with them. Honest, open dialogue.
But when it comes to the extras, I think we as Christians fall into a trance like answer of what I wrote earlier:
"It's in the Bible" or "The Bible says so..."
I believe, that we as Christians, have an obligation to study and ponder these things and formulate thoughts and ideas around them. When we relay these arguements to others, we take our Biblical knowledge, apply our thought and lay it out before them and ourselves.
For instance, the Creation vs. Theory of Evolution arguement. I have been qouted before as saying, "I can see why someone would believe in the theory, but I cannot understand why they would believe." Why can I not understand it, not just that the Bible says God created "The heavens and the earth." (which is all I need), but because when I consider how exact everything is. The exact axis of the earth, the exact construction of an atom and DNA, the exact temperature of the body, the exact anatomy of the human body, the exact construction of an eye, etc., etc. these cannot just happen. Take into account probability rules and statistics and the idea that this all happen in exact fashion over time is unfathomable.
If everything came together all at once at the perfect time, why hasn't it happen again? Which really means you are asking:
Why is there just one "human" species on this earth? Or maybe the universe? Many Evolutionist or non-believers would state matter of factly, right back at you something along the lines of:
"How do you know there aren't aliens?" Or, "There are aliens"
For those that believe in extra terrestials, you have to compound and multiply this probability (which really means the probability it happened a second time is so miniscule, I doubt they have enough 0's to follow the decimal point to even write it down) that it happen all over again for these "beings" too. If one class of species was created through evolution, then all have been. You can't have one class evolving from single cells and the other just showing up on the scene without a Supreme Being of some sort having something to do with the fact that the second group just showed up. And why would this Supreme Being create one and not the other? Isn't the "being" not being "Supreme" by allowing this massive coincidence of events to take place?
As you can see, your thought on this can go on and on. This formulation of thought can go a long way in explaining yourself to a non-believer. I am not advocating nor saying you disregard the Bible entirely or never qoute it. The hard truth is that many people today will automatically tune you out if you start spouting off Bible verses and cannot carry yourself in a normal conversation or "discussion." This is very sad indeed, but none the less, the way it is.
Christians carry a double burden of not only being educated and deep rooted in the Bible, but also in secular science. Meaning, you cannot just respond to someone's question on Creation (or anything similar) by qouting the Bible and expect to get somewhere and get your message across to someone who doesn't believe the Bible. You do not have to have a Phd or a high IQ score or even a college degree. You just have to have some understanding of the elements around you. Take the time to think things through.
Once you've done this and gained respect and got the other party to think these things through themselves, you have opened a door and this is where scripture can walk through and have an effect.
Maybe this is unique to me and my situation, but I find most people take the opposite of "religious thought" because they just do. They've had public education and MTV and NPR and the Dan Brown's of the world help form and shape their thought and beliefs. They've accepted what they have seen and heard as truth and just put all "Bible qouters" as religious fanatics who are uneducated and close minded compared to them and stand behind some archaic book as truth. "Pfft, they do not even consider modern thought."
When I stop and have conversation with them in a civilized, open-forum kind of way, they begin to realize I am not off kilter and there is thought and explanation behind my beliefs. I have taken the time to develop my core values and beliefs. In this day and age, it goes a long, long, long way.
***********************************************************************************
As I said earier, I had a difficult time getting this thought out and "on paper" if you will. Your thoughts, comments, and questions are greatly appreciated.
I am really going to tread lightly here or at
least attempt to. Additionally, any feedback,
advice, etc.will be appreciated on this subject.
This thought has been in me for a very long
time and I have internalized it to myself and
pretty much lived it for a long time now. It is
just that I have had a really hard time putting
this specific thought into sensible, understandable
speak without coming off as a heretic.
So without further adieu.....
*********************************************************************
I think the expression, "Because the Bible says so" (or any expression similar) is a very haphazzard response and is an expression that should be struck from most conversations. Maybe not in the midst of other Christians or Bible-believers, but definitely in your day-to-day dealings with the secular world.
Now obviously, the Bible does say Jesus was born and died and rose again and is the only source of salvation. And I am not really talking about the core doctrines of salvation, redemtpion, faith, and grace. I am talking about the peripherals or the extras if you will. Which, if we were all honest, is what most people get hung up on and use as excuses to not become Christian, or attend church, or whatever. These core doctrines can really only be explained by walking someone through the Bible and showing them the written word and having dialogue with them. Honest, open dialogue.
But when it comes to the extras, I think we as Christians fall into a trance like answer of what I wrote earlier:
"It's in the Bible" or "The Bible says so..."
I believe, that we as Christians, have an obligation to study and ponder these things and formulate thoughts and ideas around them. When we relay these arguements to others, we take our Biblical knowledge, apply our thought and lay it out before them and ourselves.
For instance, the Creation vs. Theory of Evolution arguement. I have been qouted before as saying, "I can see why someone would believe in the theory, but I cannot understand why they would believe." Why can I not understand it, not just that the Bible says God created "The heavens and the earth." (which is all I need), but because when I consider how exact everything is. The exact axis of the earth, the exact construction of an atom and DNA, the exact temperature of the body, the exact anatomy of the human body, the exact construction of an eye, etc., etc. these cannot just happen. Take into account probability rules and statistics and the idea that this all happen in exact fashion over time is unfathomable.
If everything came together all at once at the perfect time, why hasn't it happen again? Which really means you are asking:
Why is there just one "human" species on this earth? Or maybe the universe? Many Evolutionist or non-believers would state matter of factly, right back at you something along the lines of:
"How do you know there aren't aliens?" Or, "There are aliens"
For those that believe in extra terrestials, you have to compound and multiply this probability (which really means the probability it happened a second time is so miniscule, I doubt they have enough 0's to follow the decimal point to even write it down) that it happen all over again for these "beings" too. If one class of species was created through evolution, then all have been. You can't have one class evolving from single cells and the other just showing up on the scene without a Supreme Being of some sort having something to do with the fact that the second group just showed up. And why would this Supreme Being create one and not the other? Isn't the "being" not being "Supreme" by allowing this massive coincidence of events to take place?
As you can see, your thought on this can go on and on. This formulation of thought can go a long way in explaining yourself to a non-believer. I am not advocating nor saying you disregard the Bible entirely or never qoute it. The hard truth is that many people today will automatically tune you out if you start spouting off Bible verses and cannot carry yourself in a normal conversation or "discussion." This is very sad indeed, but none the less, the way it is.
Christians carry a double burden of not only being educated and deep rooted in the Bible, but also in secular science. Meaning, you cannot just respond to someone's question on Creation (or anything similar) by qouting the Bible and expect to get somewhere and get your message across to someone who doesn't believe the Bible. You do not have to have a Phd or a high IQ score or even a college degree. You just have to have some understanding of the elements around you. Take the time to think things through.
Once you've done this and gained respect and got the other party to think these things through themselves, you have opened a door and this is where scripture can walk through and have an effect.
Maybe this is unique to me and my situation, but I find most people take the opposite of "religious thought" because they just do. They've had public education and MTV and NPR and the Dan Brown's of the world help form and shape their thought and beliefs. They've accepted what they have seen and heard as truth and just put all "Bible qouters" as religious fanatics who are uneducated and close minded compared to them and stand behind some archaic book as truth. "Pfft, they do not even consider modern thought."
When I stop and have conversation with them in a civilized, open-forum kind of way, they begin to realize I am not off kilter and there is thought and explanation behind my beliefs. I have taken the time to develop my core values and beliefs. In this day and age, it goes a long, long, long way.
***********************************************************************************
As I said earier, I had a difficult time getting this thought out and "on paper" if you will. Your thoughts, comments, and questions are greatly appreciated.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Taking Certain Liberties
I am a sucker for the 3-hour epic movie. Not so much the newer ones like Troy and Alexander. Actually I haven't even seen them. They just do not strike me as something I want to see. I am talking about specifically, Braveheart, Saving Private Ryan, and Gladiator. While not an epic, I would also throw in Titanic. Stop freaking out, I'll explain myself right now on the Titanic pick.
I really like SPR and Titanic more than the others and it is due to the liberty the producers took in guessing how things went. What I mean is that they used some factual events and ways things happen and surrouned that with mostly conjecture. They guessed at how the "whole thing went down."
That openeing scene in SPR with the D-Day invasion changed me forever. War seemed all too real and not the glorious shoot-em up, roll the dice and remove army's from the gameboard, good guys always win idea I had in my mind. It was loud, dirty, gruesome, grisly, macabre, and bloody. For as bad as D-Day appeared in that opening scene, I am sure you can multiply that hundred-fold to how it really felt and looked. And to think, Hitler had moved most of his army away from Normandy (having guessed incorrectly where the Allied invasion would take place). Spielberg had a lot of historical fact and eye-witness accounts to go on, but still had to make it come alive. Still had over 2 hours of movie to do after that.
With Titanic, take away the love story, and you are left with the one of biggest human disasters ever. Cameron had some eye-witness accounts and historical fact as well to go on. But when that boat started to sink, it came alive. You understood how epic the event was. It was startling to see how massive the boat was and what it looked like while it sank (the ship was straight up in the air!!!!!). Cameron took a guess at how it all went down based on things he read. He took a stab at how it must have looked.
I honestly could not imagine what it would have been like to witness and have to take part in such an event as something that massive sinking into icy cold water.
It is when these directors take liberty in guessing how it happened and doing a very good job with it. It gives you elements and instances you never pictured or imagined. Additionally, the character development is there. Puts in more emotion and an attachment we get to the actor. Whether good or bad.
Which all leads me to The Passion of the Christ. Now, before I continue, I offer up this disclaimer:
I am a protestant, not Catholic. I understand that Mel Gibson
is Catholic, so I understand his point in the scene I am about to
talk about. It involves Jesus and Mary. Many of us know the
theology that Catholics and Protestants differ on in regards to
Mary. I am not here to discuss that, or further either thought.
In this movie, there is a scene where a flashback takes place. We are taken back to the home of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Jesus is building a piece of furniture (he was a carpenter, you know). There is an interaction between Mary and Jesus of your typical mother/son interaction in a family. We have no mention of any of this in the Bible. But, I have no doubt, something similar took place and probably more than once. Jesus really was human. With a mother and father. He really was a carpenter, who used his hands to build and fix things. It added this element wonderfully. He felt the love of an earthly mother. He felt the enjoyment of accomplishing something with your own hands. Bringing a sense of pride to his parents as they watched him grow.
Somehow, we always attribute Jesus to being born, 12 or so years later showing up in the temple and teaching, 18 years later getting baptized and starting his public ministry, 3 years after that his crucifiction. We just leave it at that. All that filler in between was Jesus living a true human life, with all the emotions and feelings we experience. He had to experience all this human aspect.
To me that flashback scene, made his whole death more excruiating and sickly. It adds a pure understanding of the fact that, Jesus, while on the cross, felt total desperation and total loneliness, so much so that he screamed out to his Father in heaven, "Why have you forsaken me?" How many times do we here this about people we know? They feel like nothing is there, like God left them in their most trying times?
Jesus knew this was all going to happen and had to happen, but he still had experienced human life and its full range of emotions.
I have met many people and had conversations with people, where they fluff off the pain and suffering claiming since Jesus already knew, it was no big deal for him. He understood he could just go through with all this and it would end and be over with and he would be fine. Honestly! This is their "excuse." (Nevermind the fact, they are all but admitting they believe the whole thing and that it had to happen, but they are just finding their own loophole or excuse).
The problem is when Christians do the same thing. They do not truly understand and comprehend the scope of pain and suffering. They chalk it up to just something Jesus had to do or it was somehow easier for Jesus to endure than anyone else. I understand it was something Jesus had to do. But it was no more easier for him than it would have been for anyone else, ever! No matter anyone else's upbringing or life.
Sometimes, we take certain liberties about events and writings in the Bible. I believe this is mostly due to the fact that hindsight is 20/20 and we already know the story and how it ends (or will end).
For instance, think of Abraham's leap of faith? How easy is it for us to think that it was easy for Abraham to just uproot his whole family and move to a new land that he knew not to one day become a great nation. We know what happens, so we just assume how easy it must have been. But if it is easy, why do we all stuggle and wrestle with moves, job-changing, etc.? What about when he was going to sacrifice Issac? Come on, no one can say they would do it themselves. But many of us do not realize the massive amount of faith that Abraham had at this time. Tie in his own human emotion and you wonder how he even got the nerve to ask Isaac to join him on a mountain climbing trip. We build up so much nerve when all we are doing is asking our spouse if we can go to the baseball game with the guys. Imagine telling her you are going to sacrifice your only son!?
Also, I always wonder about Moses coming down from the mountain after talking with God and bringing the tablets that GOD WROTE WITH HIS OWN HAND, and finding Israel worshipping a golden calf, how did he not kill someone? How did he maintain himself to just throwing the tablets and breaking them? How did he not blow a gasket and just walk away? No, he interceeded with God to not kill them and by so doing to not fulfill his promise. We seem to gloss over that fact, because we understand that Israel does march into Canaan under God's protection. But think what amazing grace and passion it took for Moses to do this?
While reading about the crucifiction, we know he will rise from the grave and ultimately ascend into heaven. So, to an extent, the full impact of the crucifiction isn't felt by us. Not the way the eye-witnesses felt it and saw it. This makes it easier for us to not fully grasp something. Do not take me the wrong way, please. We all understand the importance of the crucifiction and its impact on all of mankind. But, I think if we fully understood it (like The Passion did) we would live our lives a little less careless and truly understand what Jesus meant when he said, "Take up your cross and follow me." Because Jesus understood how hard that would be for any human to do at anytime.
HE LIVED IT
I really like SPR and Titanic more than the others and it is due to the liberty the producers took in guessing how things went. What I mean is that they used some factual events and ways things happen and surrouned that with mostly conjecture. They guessed at how the "whole thing went down."
That openeing scene in SPR with the D-Day invasion changed me forever. War seemed all too real and not the glorious shoot-em up, roll the dice and remove army's from the gameboard, good guys always win idea I had in my mind. It was loud, dirty, gruesome, grisly, macabre, and bloody. For as bad as D-Day appeared in that opening scene, I am sure you can multiply that hundred-fold to how it really felt and looked. And to think, Hitler had moved most of his army away from Normandy (having guessed incorrectly where the Allied invasion would take place). Spielberg had a lot of historical fact and eye-witness accounts to go on, but still had to make it come alive. Still had over 2 hours of movie to do after that.
With Titanic, take away the love story, and you are left with the one of biggest human disasters ever. Cameron had some eye-witness accounts and historical fact as well to go on. But when that boat started to sink, it came alive. You understood how epic the event was. It was startling to see how massive the boat was and what it looked like while it sank (the ship was straight up in the air!!!!!). Cameron took a guess at how it all went down based on things he read. He took a stab at how it must have looked.
I honestly could not imagine what it would have been like to witness and have to take part in such an event as something that massive sinking into icy cold water.
It is when these directors take liberty in guessing how it happened and doing a very good job with it. It gives you elements and instances you never pictured or imagined. Additionally, the character development is there. Puts in more emotion and an attachment we get to the actor. Whether good or bad.
Which all leads me to The Passion of the Christ. Now, before I continue, I offer up this disclaimer:
I am a protestant, not Catholic. I understand that Mel Gibson
is Catholic, so I understand his point in the scene I am about to
talk about. It involves Jesus and Mary. Many of us know the
theology that Catholics and Protestants differ on in regards to
Mary. I am not here to discuss that, or further either thought.
In this movie, there is a scene where a flashback takes place. We are taken back to the home of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Jesus is building a piece of furniture (he was a carpenter, you know). There is an interaction between Mary and Jesus of your typical mother/son interaction in a family. We have no mention of any of this in the Bible. But, I have no doubt, something similar took place and probably more than once. Jesus really was human. With a mother and father. He really was a carpenter, who used his hands to build and fix things. It added this element wonderfully. He felt the love of an earthly mother. He felt the enjoyment of accomplishing something with your own hands. Bringing a sense of pride to his parents as they watched him grow.
Somehow, we always attribute Jesus to being born, 12 or so years later showing up in the temple and teaching, 18 years later getting baptized and starting his public ministry, 3 years after that his crucifiction. We just leave it at that. All that filler in between was Jesus living a true human life, with all the emotions and feelings we experience. He had to experience all this human aspect.
To me that flashback scene, made his whole death more excruiating and sickly. It adds a pure understanding of the fact that, Jesus, while on the cross, felt total desperation and total loneliness, so much so that he screamed out to his Father in heaven, "Why have you forsaken me?" How many times do we here this about people we know? They feel like nothing is there, like God left them in their most trying times?
Jesus knew this was all going to happen and had to happen, but he still had experienced human life and its full range of emotions.
I have met many people and had conversations with people, where they fluff off the pain and suffering claiming since Jesus already knew, it was no big deal for him. He understood he could just go through with all this and it would end and be over with and he would be fine. Honestly! This is their "excuse." (Nevermind the fact, they are all but admitting they believe the whole thing and that it had to happen, but they are just finding their own loophole or excuse).
The problem is when Christians do the same thing. They do not truly understand and comprehend the scope of pain and suffering. They chalk it up to just something Jesus had to do or it was somehow easier for Jesus to endure than anyone else. I understand it was something Jesus had to do. But it was no more easier for him than it would have been for anyone else, ever! No matter anyone else's upbringing or life.
Sometimes, we take certain liberties about events and writings in the Bible. I believe this is mostly due to the fact that hindsight is 20/20 and we already know the story and how it ends (or will end).
For instance, think of Abraham's leap of faith? How easy is it for us to think that it was easy for Abraham to just uproot his whole family and move to a new land that he knew not to one day become a great nation. We know what happens, so we just assume how easy it must have been. But if it is easy, why do we all stuggle and wrestle with moves, job-changing, etc.? What about when he was going to sacrifice Issac? Come on, no one can say they would do it themselves. But many of us do not realize the massive amount of faith that Abraham had at this time. Tie in his own human emotion and you wonder how he even got the nerve to ask Isaac to join him on a mountain climbing trip. We build up so much nerve when all we are doing is asking our spouse if we can go to the baseball game with the guys. Imagine telling her you are going to sacrifice your only son!?
Also, I always wonder about Moses coming down from the mountain after talking with God and bringing the tablets that GOD WROTE WITH HIS OWN HAND, and finding Israel worshipping a golden calf, how did he not kill someone? How did he maintain himself to just throwing the tablets and breaking them? How did he not blow a gasket and just walk away? No, he interceeded with God to not kill them and by so doing to not fulfill his promise. We seem to gloss over that fact, because we understand that Israel does march into Canaan under God's protection. But think what amazing grace and passion it took for Moses to do this?
While reading about the crucifiction, we know he will rise from the grave and ultimately ascend into heaven. So, to an extent, the full impact of the crucifiction isn't felt by us. Not the way the eye-witnesses felt it and saw it. This makes it easier for us to not fully grasp something. Do not take me the wrong way, please. We all understand the importance of the crucifiction and its impact on all of mankind. But, I think if we fully understood it (like The Passion did) we would live our lives a little less careless and truly understand what Jesus meant when he said, "Take up your cross and follow me." Because Jesus understood how hard that would be for any human to do at anytime.
HE LIVED IT
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Dear Ann,
Remember those old Ann Lander's letters in newspapers? Readers would write to Ann and ask her opinion on all sorts of matters. Family, home, life, cooking, etc. Ann would provide written responses to those people on how to handle the situation and it seemed she had the answer for everything.
Honestly, I never much cared for that section of the newspaper. The questions were cheesy as were the answers. Many times the situation was very obvious and I always wondered if made up. Is it really that hard to realize that if your boyfriend of 3 months comes to you saying we should date other people, that he already has someone in mind and you should move on? It seemed funny that someone from say Millport, AL felt the need to deal with this problem this way. The letter was probably mailed a couple weeks before it made it into the paper. Hopefully, by then they are ok and over it. Even after all that, I wonder if Ann even read them all and answered them all.
Anyway, I have digressed quite a bit. What got me started on this thought was this:
I truly believe that God felt betrayed when the fall happen. The pinnacle of his creation was no longer perfect and he lost a cherished relationship.
Most all preaching, teaching, and studying on the fall of man always mentions the fact that man was betrayed. But what about God? He somehow gets lost in the shuffle. Ultimately, he was betrayed by man and lost the hearts of mankind, forever. He can get them back, but think of the price it takes? His own son had to die. Not just die but feel completely forsaken by God and lose every ounce of blood. Which led me to Ann Landers.
Imagine if God wrote Ann a letter (I am wired differently sometimes, these are thoughts that keep me up at night...God writing Ann Landers):
*****************************************************************
Dear Ann,
I spent 5 days creating a perfect earth full of animals and the
sun with rivers and beaches. Trees, fruit, waterfalls, and
singing birds. It was perfect. Everyday I marveled at this creation.
But Ann, it didn't stop there. On the 6th day I created something
in my image. Man! Flesh, blood, eyes, ears, a brain. I literally
breathed life into him. Every day I walked with him in the
cool of the day. This part of the day is the moment I look
forward to everyday. I loved the relationship I had with him.
Even when he told me he was lonely, I responded immediately.
I brought every animal to him. Let him name them all.
Gave him complete dominion over them all. During many of
our conversations over the years it took him to name them
all, he still expressed his loneliness. When he was done,
and his need for companionship was still wanton, I put him
in a deep sleep, took a piece of his body and grafted it into
a new creation. When he awoke, the look on his face, in
his eyes, and his body posture, told me all I needed to know.
When he finally spoke, his words echoed throughout the
Garden as he named her Woman. This creation was flesh
of his flesh and his loneliness was gone forever.
Our talks continued for untold years. I could do this for
eternity. All was good. Then one day, I came into garden,
and no one was there to meet me. This never happened.
I began to call out his name. No reply. A knot began to
form in my pit and rose up through. My pace quickened
through the garden as I continued to call out. Finally, a
response from behind a tree. I was relieved. As I walked
forward, man and woman hid themselves from me. Why
were they hidng themselves? I suddenly realized, they
are ashamed! So I asked them why they were ashamed?
That's when the dagger struck me. They hid themselves,
they told me, because they were naked! My old friend,
an angel I loved so deeply and made the greatest of all,
turned his back on me eons ago and now he has destroyed
my masterpiece.
Oh, I have lost a relationship that I so desperatley want to
have. So much so that I will offer my own Son to be murdered
just to keep this relationship. Just to one day, walk in the cool
of the day with my creation again. To allow them to have a
heart that is like mine, incorrucptible. I will create a new
heaven and a new earth as well! One that is not devastated
and ravaged.
You see, I love this creation more than anything. I want to
have a deep, personal relationship with man. I crave it.
Quite literally, it kills me. You see, My Son is me, and I
will give his life. Just to allow man the option to accept it,
believe it, and have a heart cleansed in my Sons' blood
and one day, many years from now, they can sit with me
on the throne and drink from my cup and live out eternity
as it was meant to be. Perfect, spotless, my Son and I
surrounded by glory and celebration. The lion lying with
the lamb and no tear to be found.
That will be heaven. Pearly gates and gold roads. Everyone
living in mansions and wearing crowns. I can see it now.
Oh what glory and majesty! I must get to this now Ann.
It will take over 6,000 years to go through this. I know
I will be broken and betrayed by this creation until such
time, but to me, God, it is worth it to know this relationship
will one day be back to normal and go on forever.
*****************************************************************
I believe this "letter" is a rather large, vastly paraphrased Bible. Don't get me wrong, we need all 66 books and every verse of it. But, this is the message of the Gospel. The Good News. God's unrelenting message to us on how to get back to a relationship with him. God (for lack of a better word) craves this relationship with us.
Think about this.....
He has spent all of known time creating everything and then giving it to us, then watching us destroy it and ourselves, only to let his Son be killed so he can give it all back.
Wow.
Honestly, I never much cared for that section of the newspaper. The questions were cheesy as were the answers. Many times the situation was very obvious and I always wondered if made up. Is it really that hard to realize that if your boyfriend of 3 months comes to you saying we should date other people, that he already has someone in mind and you should move on? It seemed funny that someone from say Millport, AL felt the need to deal with this problem this way. The letter was probably mailed a couple weeks before it made it into the paper. Hopefully, by then they are ok and over it. Even after all that, I wonder if Ann even read them all and answered them all.
Anyway, I have digressed quite a bit. What got me started on this thought was this:
I truly believe that God felt betrayed when the fall happen. The pinnacle of his creation was no longer perfect and he lost a cherished relationship.
Most all preaching, teaching, and studying on the fall of man always mentions the fact that man was betrayed. But what about God? He somehow gets lost in the shuffle. Ultimately, he was betrayed by man and lost the hearts of mankind, forever. He can get them back, but think of the price it takes? His own son had to die. Not just die but feel completely forsaken by God and lose every ounce of blood. Which led me to Ann Landers.
Imagine if God wrote Ann a letter (I am wired differently sometimes, these are thoughts that keep me up at night...God writing Ann Landers):
*****************************************************************
Dear Ann,
I spent 5 days creating a perfect earth full of animals and the
sun with rivers and beaches. Trees, fruit, waterfalls, and
singing birds. It was perfect. Everyday I marveled at this creation.
But Ann, it didn't stop there. On the 6th day I created something
in my image. Man! Flesh, blood, eyes, ears, a brain. I literally
breathed life into him. Every day I walked with him in the
cool of the day. This part of the day is the moment I look
forward to everyday. I loved the relationship I had with him.
Even when he told me he was lonely, I responded immediately.
I brought every animal to him. Let him name them all.
Gave him complete dominion over them all. During many of
our conversations over the years it took him to name them
all, he still expressed his loneliness. When he was done,
and his need for companionship was still wanton, I put him
in a deep sleep, took a piece of his body and grafted it into
a new creation. When he awoke, the look on his face, in
his eyes, and his body posture, told me all I needed to know.
When he finally spoke, his words echoed throughout the
Garden as he named her Woman. This creation was flesh
of his flesh and his loneliness was gone forever.
Our talks continued for untold years. I could do this for
eternity. All was good. Then one day, I came into garden,
and no one was there to meet me. This never happened.
I began to call out his name. No reply. A knot began to
form in my pit and rose up through. My pace quickened
through the garden as I continued to call out. Finally, a
response from behind a tree. I was relieved. As I walked
forward, man and woman hid themselves from me. Why
were they hidng themselves? I suddenly realized, they
are ashamed! So I asked them why they were ashamed?
That's when the dagger struck me. They hid themselves,
they told me, because they were naked! My old friend,
an angel I loved so deeply and made the greatest of all,
turned his back on me eons ago and now he has destroyed
my masterpiece.
Oh, I have lost a relationship that I so desperatley want to
have. So much so that I will offer my own Son to be murdered
just to keep this relationship. Just to one day, walk in the cool
of the day with my creation again. To allow them to have a
heart that is like mine, incorrucptible. I will create a new
heaven and a new earth as well! One that is not devastated
and ravaged.
You see, I love this creation more than anything. I want to
have a deep, personal relationship with man. I crave it.
Quite literally, it kills me. You see, My Son is me, and I
will give his life. Just to allow man the option to accept it,
believe it, and have a heart cleansed in my Sons' blood
and one day, many years from now, they can sit with me
on the throne and drink from my cup and live out eternity
as it was meant to be. Perfect, spotless, my Son and I
surrounded by glory and celebration. The lion lying with
the lamb and no tear to be found.
That will be heaven. Pearly gates and gold roads. Everyone
living in mansions and wearing crowns. I can see it now.
Oh what glory and majesty! I must get to this now Ann.
It will take over 6,000 years to go through this. I know
I will be broken and betrayed by this creation until such
time, but to me, God, it is worth it to know this relationship
will one day be back to normal and go on forever.
*****************************************************************
I believe this "letter" is a rather large, vastly paraphrased Bible. Don't get me wrong, we need all 66 books and every verse of it. But, this is the message of the Gospel. The Good News. God's unrelenting message to us on how to get back to a relationship with him. God (for lack of a better word) craves this relationship with us.
Think about this.....
He has spent all of known time creating everything and then giving it to us, then watching us destroy it and ourselves, only to let his Son be killed so he can give it all back.
Wow.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
The toughest, most unrelenting question ever asked!
All this makes me wonder what God must have felt,
arriving on the scene just after the Fall, knowing all
He had made was ruined, and understanding at once
the sacrifice that would be required to win the hearts
of His Children from the grasp of their seducer. I see
Him in my mind walking the paths, calling to the couple,
meeting their eyes for the first time, and Adam and Eve
shaking in absolute terror, wondering what had happened,
confused at the broken promise of a snake, feeling at once
the trustworthiness of their first love and wondering if God
would ever love them again, feeling the hot breath of His
anger and emotion, hearing Him speak for the first time,
not as a friend, but as One who had been betrayed.
"Who told you that you were naked?"
-Donald Miller "Searching for God Knows What"
arriving on the scene just after the Fall, knowing all
He had made was ruined, and understanding at once
the sacrifice that would be required to win the hearts
of His Children from the grasp of their seducer. I see
Him in my mind walking the paths, calling to the couple,
meeting their eyes for the first time, and Adam and Eve
shaking in absolute terror, wondering what had happened,
confused at the broken promise of a snake, feeling at once
the trustworthiness of their first love and wondering if God
would ever love them again, feeling the hot breath of His
anger and emotion, hearing Him speak for the first time,
not as a friend, but as One who had been betrayed.
"Who told you that you were naked?"
-Donald Miller "Searching for God Knows What"
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
The complexity of human life
I should apologize up front. The subject heading was a play on words. I am not going to wax poetic about how layered and deep my thoughts are. How love and emotion and sadness and euphoria can sweep my body all over at once. You know, the usual "artsy fartsy" talk that follows a line like "The complexity of human life."
No, I am talking about how human life is the construction of a bunch of complexity (confused yet?). Protons, neurons, double helix, mucus, bone, freckles, hair, etc., etc. compose the make up of the human body, and we haven't even got to the emotions, sensations, and feelings part of the whole thing. You know, the physics of this whole thing. Life and creation is a complex subject. Volumes of work, findings, and studies have been published and broadcast for thousands of years, and yet, not everything is known. Theories abound about human life, science, physics, and the complete makeup of the earth.
Except to one person...GOD.
************************************
He understands the complexity and physics of all of it, he created it. This current, living, breathing, and wonderful life. Everything else that goes with it too. To God, there are no theories just the facts.
Take a honest, giant step back and think about that for a minute. Just ponder this fact. Peel off the layers. Realize that God is truly the creator of everything living right now, everything that has died, and everything that will. There is no majic formula to this. It is what it is. God literally "breathed life into Adam."
Continue to think about this and keep peeling those layers back.
God hasn't stopped there. He created an afterlife. AN AFTERLIFE!!!! This is phenomenal. It is promised to every human being.
But you know what, do not stop there, keep peeling the layers back.
God has created all this, "he gives and he taketh away." He is responsible for birth and death. Yet, he has not experienced either, nor will he. This is mind-shattering. Take an even bigger step back and contemplate this? Is it even possible to comprehend this?
This fact consumes my thoughts sometimes. It is too much for me to comprehend. All my life I have seen things born and die. Everything starts from something and everything ends. Except God.
You cannot stop there though. Peel another layer back and you realize that God created all, God understands it all, God was not born, created, or will die, and God does not inhabot space.
What?! Huh!! That is right. He doesn't really live in a space.
He is there.
That sentence almost seems too simple but is truly majestic. He is all of it and he is everywhere. Truly eternal, truly omnipotent, and truly a Supreme Being.
All of these facts, when wound together and laid out like this, quite frankly, freak me out completely. Sometimes while laying in bed at night, this thought consumes me and I lay awake trying to wrap my mind around it. The more I try, the more I cannot. Butterflys build in my stomach, my heart beats harder and faster, and breathing becomes short. I eventually roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling, like I'll see something besides the flat white painted plaster ceiling. It is terror and fear. Not Freddy Krueger terror, but genuine terror.
Most times I wonder why I feel this? Should I feel this? Should I be concerned, that as a believer, this fact terrorizes me? I believe in all of it, but am scared by it just the same.
Why?
No, I am talking about how human life is the construction of a bunch of complexity (confused yet?). Protons, neurons, double helix, mucus, bone, freckles, hair, etc., etc. compose the make up of the human body, and we haven't even got to the emotions, sensations, and feelings part of the whole thing. You know, the physics of this whole thing. Life and creation is a complex subject. Volumes of work, findings, and studies have been published and broadcast for thousands of years, and yet, not everything is known. Theories abound about human life, science, physics, and the complete makeup of the earth.
Except to one person...GOD.
************************************
He understands the complexity and physics of all of it, he created it. This current, living, breathing, and wonderful life. Everything else that goes with it too. To God, there are no theories just the facts.
Take a honest, giant step back and think about that for a minute. Just ponder this fact. Peel off the layers. Realize that God is truly the creator of everything living right now, everything that has died, and everything that will. There is no majic formula to this. It is what it is. God literally "breathed life into Adam."
Continue to think about this and keep peeling those layers back.
God hasn't stopped there. He created an afterlife. AN AFTERLIFE!!!! This is phenomenal. It is promised to every human being.
But you know what, do not stop there, keep peeling the layers back.
God has created all this, "he gives and he taketh away." He is responsible for birth and death. Yet, he has not experienced either, nor will he. This is mind-shattering. Take an even bigger step back and contemplate this? Is it even possible to comprehend this?
This fact consumes my thoughts sometimes. It is too much for me to comprehend. All my life I have seen things born and die. Everything starts from something and everything ends. Except God.
You cannot stop there though. Peel another layer back and you realize that God created all, God understands it all, God was not born, created, or will die, and God does not inhabot space.
What?! Huh!! That is right. He doesn't really live in a space.
He is there.
That sentence almost seems too simple but is truly majestic. He is all of it and he is everywhere. Truly eternal, truly omnipotent, and truly a Supreme Being.
All of these facts, when wound together and laid out like this, quite frankly, freak me out completely. Sometimes while laying in bed at night, this thought consumes me and I lay awake trying to wrap my mind around it. The more I try, the more I cannot. Butterflys build in my stomach, my heart beats harder and faster, and breathing becomes short. I eventually roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling, like I'll see something besides the flat white painted plaster ceiling. It is terror and fear. Not Freddy Krueger terror, but genuine terror.
Most times I wonder why I feel this? Should I feel this? Should I be concerned, that as a believer, this fact terrorizes me? I believe in all of it, but am scared by it just the same.
Why?
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