I have big news for all of you, I heard it just this morning on the radio. All of you who think you are Christians may need to change your Facebook religion status because apparently you are not a Christian unless you sponsor a child in another country.
I'm not going to name names (though I really feel I should) but I heard a story on Word FM's morning show about an individual approaching a certain front man from a pretty well known Christian band. The individual told the Band man that he recently became a Christian, to which the front man responded, "what country does your child live in?" Then the hosts of the morning show telling this story proceeded to say that, "Really finding a church should not be the first priority for a person who just came to Christ. But the first thing they do should be to sponsor a Child."
Now I will admit that this really grinds my gears and if you can't tell already I am super fired up about this, so I will try to control myself and use sober judgment in writing this.
Please don't get me wrong, sponsoring a child is a wonderful, outstanding, beautiful, I can't say enough how great of a thing it is....but is it really so important that it needs to be the very first things a new believer does. Is it really important enough to be put on the list of things a person "must do" to be a proper Christian. I feel like the list of "must do's" to be a Christian is getting longer and longer with each generation.
It reminds me of what Peter said in Acts 15 when the counsel met. A group of Jewish believers were going around to all the Gentiles who were coming to Christ and telling them that in order to be a proper Christian they need to become Jewish first and follow all the Jewish commandments. I don't know if you know....but that was a pretty long list. Peter says in verse 10, "Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?"
Why, why, why do we make coming to Christ so complicated? Why must we create a yoke that we ourselves cannot bear. Imagine if you will (and I'm not saying this is how it happen...but let's pretend for a moment) that a non-believer happen to come to that radio station this morning searching for answers about God. He turns to this station and hears "When you come to Christ you really should sponsor a child and give $30 a month and even more." What is that person going to think? Probably what a lot of people think, that all Christianity is, is the Church or some other organization trying to get money.
Now as I said sponsoring a child is great and if you are able and feel called to do so please knock yourself out. But is it right to say that to be a proper Christian sponsoring a child is a must? Did Jesus die so I could sponsor a starving child in Bolivia. I don't think so. Sponsoring a child is a result of what Christ died on the cross for.
Jesus gave his life as a ransom for our sins so we cold be free. So we could have a relationship with the God who loves us more than we will ever know. Jesus died to bring heaven here to earth and a result of that is that we can give joyfully to help those in need.
So what am I saying here. I don't know if I even know. If you want to give to a starving child in Ethiopia or where ever, then do it and do it joyfully. God wants us to give but only.....but only if we do it with a generous and joyful heart. If I give my wife flowers just because or just for the reason that I thought about her and wanted to do it, it will mean a lot more than if I say "Oh, they were on sale," or "Oh I felt like I had to."
If you give because, "Oh I feel like I have to," then DON'T because God doesn't want a gift given out of obligation. He wants you to give because you want to give. Furthermore DON'T make it an obligation to others or look down on fellow believers who can't or don't give for whatever reason.
Remember the women who gave all she had because she wanted to, Jesus honored that women. But those rich men who were making a spectacle of their giving, Jesus wanted nothing to do with them. I would strongly encourage you to give to the LORD but do it out of joy and not obligation or because someone on the radio says, "you must sponsor a child in order to be a proper Christian."
Well, I hope I didn't fly off the handle too much. I really feel that these comments made on the radio and by that artist give into Legalistic Christianity. Jesus DID NOT sacrifice himself so we could follow the rules. His sacrifice goes so much deeper than that.
May our LORD be with you!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Building up the House
Haggai 1:2-5 & 7
Some of you may have heard me speak on this before, but that's okay I don't mind repeating myself when the message is a good one such as this. There is a lot of back story going on here that we have to understand in order to get a understanding of this passage. First this passage takes place after the exile from Israel to Babylon. Through King Cyrus of Persia some of the Israelites were allowed to return to Jerusalem. Their first job was to rebuild the temple, so they got all the materials and laid the foundation. Everything was going great until their enemies started intimidating them, telling them not to rebuild the temple (even though they had permission from the King to do so.) So the Jews became a bunch of sissies and stopped the rebuilding of the temple.
Now that was a seriously short version of what all took place but for our purposes today we will pick up the story there. So the Jews are in their city the foundation for the temple is laid and they are scared to do anymore. Through the prophet Haggai the LORD speaks to the people; he says to them, "you have built up your houses and yet my house lies in ruins". It's almost as if the LORD is saying to the people "Don't you trust me?". He already provided them passage back to Israel and I forgot to mention that all the materials for rebuilding were bought on Cyrus's dime! They don't even have to pay for it, all they have to do is build it! And the LORD comes to them and says, "Give careful thought to your ways." Now that phrase appears more than once in this book, so you have to know it's important.
What I want to say to you today is, "Give careful thought to your ways!" How many of us think that God would say to us, "You are living in a paneled house (which was a Hebrew-ism for a really nice solid house) while My house lies in ruins." I am hoping and assuming that those who read this have come to a relationship with Jesus Christ, (and if you haven't and would like to know more e-mail me and we can talk about that.) If that is a correct assumption, all of you have the foundation laid out for your "God's house." The foundation has been laid but what does the rest of the house look like? Have you built upon that foundation? Have you begun to grow your relationship with God beyond laying the foundation?
We spend so much time working on our "houses" (what we want to do) that we leave little time to work on "God's house". Believe me; I'm speaking to myself along with everyone else. So the question is then, what in your life gets in the way? Could it be your schedule, friends, jobs, working out, hanging out? What in your life would you consider "working on your house and not on God's house." Here may be a better question, what sins are you holding onto that hold you back from deepening your relationship with God? What do you struggle with that you haven't died to, that still has you in bondage, which holds you back from building up your relationship with God?
These people Haggai were scared to rebuild because of threats that is what held them back from building God's house. What holds you back? In chapter 2 of this book God says to the people in verse 4 & 5 "Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD 'and work. For I am with you, and my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear." God is with you always do not be afraid to take that next step and build upon your foundation. God desires to have a Father-child relationship with you. His love for you is so deep it drove him to the cross, and if you would ask Him, I know he would say you were worth dying for. My siblings, God loves you so much He sent Jesus into our broken, messed up, fallen world so you may have a relationship with Him, that you may live with Him always. From the minute you said "Jesus come into my life" through all eternity, He is with you and He loves you.
Let me give you some scripture for you to look up to find ways to build upon your foundation and continue to grow as one of God's beloved children. I pray that you may shine and be the light of the world so that others may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.
Philippians 4:8-9
Ephesians 4:26-5:2
Colossians 2:6-8/ 3:1-2/12-15
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18
May our LORD be with you
Some of you may have heard me speak on this before, but that's okay I don't mind repeating myself when the message is a good one such as this. There is a lot of back story going on here that we have to understand in order to get a understanding of this passage. First this passage takes place after the exile from Israel to Babylon. Through King Cyrus of Persia some of the Israelites were allowed to return to Jerusalem. Their first job was to rebuild the temple, so they got all the materials and laid the foundation. Everything was going great until their enemies started intimidating them, telling them not to rebuild the temple (even though they had permission from the King to do so.) So the Jews became a bunch of sissies and stopped the rebuilding of the temple.
Now that was a seriously short version of what all took place but for our purposes today we will pick up the story there. So the Jews are in their city the foundation for the temple is laid and they are scared to do anymore. Through the prophet Haggai the LORD speaks to the people; he says to them, "you have built up your houses and yet my house lies in ruins". It's almost as if the LORD is saying to the people "Don't you trust me?". He already provided them passage back to Israel and I forgot to mention that all the materials for rebuilding were bought on Cyrus's dime! They don't even have to pay for it, all they have to do is build it! And the LORD comes to them and says, "Give careful thought to your ways." Now that phrase appears more than once in this book, so you have to know it's important.
What I want to say to you today is, "Give careful thought to your ways!" How many of us think that God would say to us, "You are living in a paneled house (which was a Hebrew-ism for a really nice solid house) while My house lies in ruins." I am hoping and assuming that those who read this have come to a relationship with Jesus Christ, (and if you haven't and would like to know more e-mail me and we can talk about that.) If that is a correct assumption, all of you have the foundation laid out for your "God's house." The foundation has been laid but what does the rest of the house look like? Have you built upon that foundation? Have you begun to grow your relationship with God beyond laying the foundation?
We spend so much time working on our "houses" (what we want to do) that we leave little time to work on "God's house". Believe me; I'm speaking to myself along with everyone else. So the question is then, what in your life gets in the way? Could it be your schedule, friends, jobs, working out, hanging out? What in your life would you consider "working on your house and not on God's house." Here may be a better question, what sins are you holding onto that hold you back from deepening your relationship with God? What do you struggle with that you haven't died to, that still has you in bondage, which holds you back from building up your relationship with God?
These people Haggai were scared to rebuild because of threats that is what held them back from building God's house. What holds you back? In chapter 2 of this book God says to the people in verse 4 & 5 "Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD 'and work. For I am with you, and my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear." God is with you always do not be afraid to take that next step and build upon your foundation. God desires to have a Father-child relationship with you. His love for you is so deep it drove him to the cross, and if you would ask Him, I know he would say you were worth dying for. My siblings, God loves you so much He sent Jesus into our broken, messed up, fallen world so you may have a relationship with Him, that you may live with Him always. From the minute you said "Jesus come into my life" through all eternity, He is with you and He loves you.
Let me give you some scripture for you to look up to find ways to build upon your foundation and continue to grow as one of God's beloved children. I pray that you may shine and be the light of the world so that others may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.
Philippians 4:8-9
Ephesians 4:26-5:2
Colossians 2:6-8/ 3:1-2/12-15
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18
May our LORD be with you
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Get out of the desert
Moses!! What a basket case! Okay seriously, what an amazing story to read in the scriptures. The parting of the Red Sea aside, God did some incredible things through him. Leading the people through the desert, the Ten Commandments, the list goes on forever. But that's the end of the story, the beginning isn't so wonderful.
In the middle verses of Exodus Chapter 2 we see Moses all grown up and the scripture says he was watching over his people the Israelites. He catches sight of an Egyptian abusing a Hebrew. He gets really angry and intervenes, unfortunately killing the Egyptian. The next day Moses sees two Hebrews fighting amongst themselves. He tries to stop them and finds out that what he did is public knowledge, so he flees to the land of Midian.
Moses spends 20 years there in Midian. He gets married, has kids and lives a normal life. One day something unexpected happens. He is tending his flock beside the Mountain of God he sees a bush that has caught fire. Now for Moses seeing a bush aflame in the middle of the desert probably was a normal thing. I mean....it's the desert...it's hot...really hot....like things spontaneously catch on fire hot. But this bush wasn't being consumed by the fire, that wasn't normal. Then Moses hears a voice that changes his life forever, the voice of God. The LORD tells Moses that He has seen the suffering of His people and Moses was the guy to go into Egypt and free them.
Now notice Moses' response when God tells him his mission. It's the classic, "Here I am LORD, send someone else!" So my question is, why did God choose Moses if he didn't want to go? Moses makes every excuse in the book and still God tells him to go.
Why?!? Why didn't God pick someone else, someone who wanted to go? Someone who would say "You got it LORD whatever you say I will do!!" What is God doing here? Look back at the beginning of the story, what was the whole reason that Moses was in the desert tending sheep in the first place?
He killed an Egyptian.
But why did he kill the Egyptian?
His passion drove him to do it.
What do I mean?
As I pointed out earlier, scripture says that Moses went out and watched his own people at their labor. Moses knew he was not Egyptian; he was a Hebrew so he would watch his people as they worked. It must have torn him up inside to see the affliction they were going through. So much so that when he saw the slave master singling out the Hebrew and beating him, Moses just snapped. That is why God chose him.
Moses used every excuse in the book but in the end God knew that Moses had a burning passion to see his people liberated and that qualified him to be God's man in Egypt.
So the question now is, what are you passionate about? More importantly have you been making excuses why God can't use you in this area? When I was a senior in High School I wanted to be in Youth Ministry but after I found out how much Youth Ministry pays, I got scared and selfish. I made every excuse why I shouldn't do it but in then God knew I have a passion to see young people come to a relationship with Christ and Here I am!! I cannot get away from it and neither can you.
God wants to use you but He's not going to force you. God is the perfect gentleman, He will wait on you. He accommodated all of Moses excuses until he was satisfied and gave in, God did not force him. He put a passion in you to use for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom. Get out of the desert and let God use you and the passion He put inside you. Stop being like Moses in the early years and be like Moses in the later years. Whatever fires you up God put that in you and until you let Him utilize and unleash it for His glory you won't be satisfied, believe me I am speaking for experience. No matter what I did it wasn't good enough. Only when I finally gave into God's calling and started a Youth Bible study which lead to a job as a Youth Pastor was God able to make use of my passion. Through that He has shown me other areas that I'm passionate about and directed me into them.
I'm not saying the work of God won't get done without you, God doesn't have to us but he wants to. I'm saying the work God wants to do in you won't happen until you get out of your own way.
So......what are you passionate about? Don't hold it back, don't make excuses. Let God send you into Egypt, let Him use you and your passion. He will do amazing things in and through you.
May our LORD be with you!
In the middle verses of Exodus Chapter 2 we see Moses all grown up and the scripture says he was watching over his people the Israelites. He catches sight of an Egyptian abusing a Hebrew. He gets really angry and intervenes, unfortunately killing the Egyptian. The next day Moses sees two Hebrews fighting amongst themselves. He tries to stop them and finds out that what he did is public knowledge, so he flees to the land of Midian.
Moses spends 20 years there in Midian. He gets married, has kids and lives a normal life. One day something unexpected happens. He is tending his flock beside the Mountain of God he sees a bush that has caught fire. Now for Moses seeing a bush aflame in the middle of the desert probably was a normal thing. I mean....it's the desert...it's hot...really hot....like things spontaneously catch on fire hot. But this bush wasn't being consumed by the fire, that wasn't normal. Then Moses hears a voice that changes his life forever, the voice of God. The LORD tells Moses that He has seen the suffering of His people and Moses was the guy to go into Egypt and free them.
Now notice Moses' response when God tells him his mission. It's the classic, "Here I am LORD, send someone else!" So my question is, why did God choose Moses if he didn't want to go? Moses makes every excuse in the book and still God tells him to go.
Why?!? Why didn't God pick someone else, someone who wanted to go? Someone who would say "You got it LORD whatever you say I will do!!" What is God doing here? Look back at the beginning of the story, what was the whole reason that Moses was in the desert tending sheep in the first place?
He killed an Egyptian.
But why did he kill the Egyptian?
His passion drove him to do it.
What do I mean?
As I pointed out earlier, scripture says that Moses went out and watched his own people at their labor. Moses knew he was not Egyptian; he was a Hebrew so he would watch his people as they worked. It must have torn him up inside to see the affliction they were going through. So much so that when he saw the slave master singling out the Hebrew and beating him, Moses just snapped. That is why God chose him.
Moses used every excuse in the book but in the end God knew that Moses had a burning passion to see his people liberated and that qualified him to be God's man in Egypt.
So the question now is, what are you passionate about? More importantly have you been making excuses why God can't use you in this area? When I was a senior in High School I wanted to be in Youth Ministry but after I found out how much Youth Ministry pays, I got scared and selfish. I made every excuse why I shouldn't do it but in then God knew I have a passion to see young people come to a relationship with Christ and Here I am!! I cannot get away from it and neither can you.
God wants to use you but He's not going to force you. God is the perfect gentleman, He will wait on you. He accommodated all of Moses excuses until he was satisfied and gave in, God did not force him. He put a passion in you to use for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom. Get out of the desert and let God use you and the passion He put inside you. Stop being like Moses in the early years and be like Moses in the later years. Whatever fires you up God put that in you and until you let Him utilize and unleash it for His glory you won't be satisfied, believe me I am speaking for experience. No matter what I did it wasn't good enough. Only when I finally gave into God's calling and started a Youth Bible study which lead to a job as a Youth Pastor was God able to make use of my passion. Through that He has shown me other areas that I'm passionate about and directed me into them.
I'm not saying the work of God won't get done without you, God doesn't have to us but he wants to. I'm saying the work God wants to do in you won't happen until you get out of your own way.
So......what are you passionate about? Don't hold it back, don't make excuses. Let God send you into Egypt, let Him use you and your passion. He will do amazing things in and through you.
May our LORD be with you!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The Evil Within
I'm going to be very open and honest with all of you in this Daily Feast. It may drive some of you away, which will make me sad but I believe this message to be true. This is my opinion; however I believe it also to be in line with the scriptures.
Okay so here it goes I am going to spill all my dark, "evil" secrets. I am a big fan of beer. I have my favorites and ones that I've tasted that I think are crap. Ben Franklin once said that Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. I think it would be awesome to be a beer critic or conasaur.
Every now and then I also like to enjoy a cigar. I really enjoy those times I've had with guy friends just hanging out having a smoke. There is a cigar shop in Strawberry Square near where I work, I love going in there and just looking around at the different brands, smelling the different aromas. I also have an Irish clay pipe that I will smoke every now and then or use when I'm backpacking (tobacco only of course.)
I really enjoy the Harry Potter series. I hated reading until I pick up a copy of the 4th book and I realized the imagination I could have envisioning the different worlds that reading provides. I also really enjoy the movies.
I love to play rock music. When the band has a gig, I can't wait to get on stage and just be as crazy as I can (without falling off.) We have a certain dress code that we follow. I know it sounds weird but we were told "if you are going to be a rock band you have to look like a rock band." So I have outfits that really enjoy wearing but I wouldn't under any other circumstances.
I think it would be really cool to get a tattoo.
I want to get my ears pierced.
I would like to own a hand gun.
I would like to someday own and ride a motorcycle.
I could go on and on but I think this list will suffice for my point.
Before you delete this and totally write me off let me ask you a question. What do all of these things have in common with one another? Seriously take a moment to think about the answer to the question.
All of these things can be/are considered evil in the eyes of some Christians. I've heard the old saying; Don't smoke, drink or chew or hang out with girls that do. But let me ask you a question; Are the objects in the above list evil or is the person using the objects evil? I believe it to be the latter. Remember the story in Acts where the followers of The Way have a counsel in Jerusalem to discuss the reality that non-Jews were coming to Christ and receiving the same Holy Spirit that Jew-Jews were. At the end of the meeting the counsel wrote a letter to Gentile believers asking them to abstain from a few things, one of them being food sacrificed to idols. Now the reason was not because the food was evil, though the act of man sacrificing the food to pagan gods was evil. The reason was for the sake of Jews who had not come to the Messiah yet. They believed that if a Jew saw a Gentile, claiming to be a follower of The Way, eating meat that was sacrificed to another god that would totally turn him away from Jesus. So for the sake of witnessing to fellow Jews, Gentiles were encouraged to abstain from "idol meat."
Now I bring that up to make a point. God had already taken care of the whole "some foods are evil don't even think about touching them thing," with Peter. God said plain and simple that through Jesus' sacrifice that the Mosaic laws about food no longer applies. So the food was not evil at all but the man giving the food up to false gods makes it evil. However it would also be the act of worship that makes the food evil. A Gentile believer may have been given some meat sacrificed to a false god, not knowing it, eaten the food cause he was hungry. There's no worship involved. If he would have eaten the food in worship to the false god, then it would be evil. But the point remains, it's not the object that is evil but the man using the object for evil, that is evil.
Paul says in Phillipians that we need to figure out our salvation, with fear and trembling. Let us consider the above list again. These are the things that others think are evil or maybe can’t handle. But I can handle them and don’t think they are evil. I believe God placed them here for our enjoyment. I think that beer is a pleasant beverage. I like that taste and I enjoy drinking it. Is there anything evil there? Not at all. Now I will say that I identify that if I abuse the drinking of beer that I will become drunk and sin enters the situation stage right. LET ME BE CLEAR HERE, I like beer but I NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER allow myself to lose control. I don’t even allow myself to come close. I know my limits and what my body can handle. I drink beer because I enjoy the taste of it not so I can become drunk and act like an idiot. I decided when I turned 21 that I was going to partake in drinking alcohol but I also decided that I was going to be responsible. That decision goes for the rest of that list as well. Some people can’t handle reading or watching the Potter series. I acknowledge there are things in those books that God says to stay away from but there are also values in there that God himself tells us to cling to. Things like friendship, love, courage, sacrifice; if all you see is the sorcery then I’m sorry but you’ve missed the entire story.
It's not the object but the man using the object that is evil.
Now I’m not saying that you too should start drinking beer, go buy a motorcycle or pick a copy of the Potter book. What I am saying is that we need to change our thinking here as followers of Christ. Don't look down on fellow believers if they enjoy a beverage or cigar every now and then, as long as they do it responsibly. Furthermore don’t immediately write something off as “evil.” God says that he looks at the heart not the outward appearance and it’s time we do the same.
Take tattoos as yet another example. You cannot make a case based on scripture (without abusing the language or taking something out of context) to speak against tattoos. The word that is used in Leviticus is nowhere near the word or process that was used in ancient times. God was saying to the Levites that he doesn't want to be worshiped with cutting and abusing the body. So getting a tattoo is not evil, it's when the tattoo becomes an idol to the person that evil come into the picture. Tattoos have the potential to draw attention to one self. Once it becomes all about me and what I can do, that is when the problem comes. But a believer could use a tattoo as a tool for witness.
I do want to bring this up; as I’ve said the object is not evil but the man abusing it. We need to be aware of fellow believers who are abusing certain thing and are harming either themselves or others by their actions. The bible says that we need to rebuke each other IN LOVE in order to build each other up. Obviously things like drugs or cigarettes harm the body and should be throw out right away. But if a fellow believer is abusing something, they need to be told about it.
If I were to let my fondness of beer go too far and I was abusing it I would want someone to rebuke me so repentance could take place and forgiveness given. Like I said that would never happen but just as an example.
Though it is not the object but the person, we need to remember what Jesus did for us to break down the evil within us. The power of his love and sacrifice made it possible for us to have God’s spirit in us so that we can become more godly and turn away from out sinful nature. Thank you Jesus for what you did for us!!!
I hope in reading this you have been blessed. My intention was not to divide us but rather to bring us together. This was particularly difficult to write because I know this can be a touchy subject but one I felt the LORD leading me to address.
May our LORD be with you!
Okay so here it goes I am going to spill all my dark, "evil" secrets. I am a big fan of beer. I have my favorites and ones that I've tasted that I think are crap. Ben Franklin once said that Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. I think it would be awesome to be a beer critic or conasaur.
Every now and then I also like to enjoy a cigar. I really enjoy those times I've had with guy friends just hanging out having a smoke. There is a cigar shop in Strawberry Square near where I work, I love going in there and just looking around at the different brands, smelling the different aromas. I also have an Irish clay pipe that I will smoke every now and then or use when I'm backpacking (tobacco only of course.)
I really enjoy the Harry Potter series. I hated reading until I pick up a copy of the 4th book and I realized the imagination I could have envisioning the different worlds that reading provides. I also really enjoy the movies.
I love to play rock music. When the band has a gig, I can't wait to get on stage and just be as crazy as I can (without falling off.) We have a certain dress code that we follow. I know it sounds weird but we were told "if you are going to be a rock band you have to look like a rock band." So I have outfits that really enjoy wearing but I wouldn't under any other circumstances.
I think it would be really cool to get a tattoo.
I want to get my ears pierced.
I would like to own a hand gun.
I would like to someday own and ride a motorcycle.
I could go on and on but I think this list will suffice for my point.
Before you delete this and totally write me off let me ask you a question. What do all of these things have in common with one another? Seriously take a moment to think about the answer to the question.
All of these things can be/are considered evil in the eyes of some Christians. I've heard the old saying; Don't smoke, drink or chew or hang out with girls that do. But let me ask you a question; Are the objects in the above list evil or is the person using the objects evil? I believe it to be the latter. Remember the story in Acts where the followers of The Way have a counsel in Jerusalem to discuss the reality that non-Jews were coming to Christ and receiving the same Holy Spirit that Jew-Jews were. At the end of the meeting the counsel wrote a letter to Gentile believers asking them to abstain from a few things, one of them being food sacrificed to idols. Now the reason was not because the food was evil, though the act of man sacrificing the food to pagan gods was evil. The reason was for the sake of Jews who had not come to the Messiah yet. They believed that if a Jew saw a Gentile, claiming to be a follower of The Way, eating meat that was sacrificed to another god that would totally turn him away from Jesus. So for the sake of witnessing to fellow Jews, Gentiles were encouraged to abstain from "idol meat."
Now I bring that up to make a point. God had already taken care of the whole "some foods are evil don't even think about touching them thing," with Peter. God said plain and simple that through Jesus' sacrifice that the Mosaic laws about food no longer applies. So the food was not evil at all but the man giving the food up to false gods makes it evil. However it would also be the act of worship that makes the food evil. A Gentile believer may have been given some meat sacrificed to a false god, not knowing it, eaten the food cause he was hungry. There's no worship involved. If he would have eaten the food in worship to the false god, then it would be evil. But the point remains, it's not the object that is evil but the man using the object for evil, that is evil.
Paul says in Phillipians that we need to figure out our salvation, with fear and trembling. Let us consider the above list again. These are the things that others think are evil or maybe can’t handle. But I can handle them and don’t think they are evil. I believe God placed them here for our enjoyment. I think that beer is a pleasant beverage. I like that taste and I enjoy drinking it. Is there anything evil there? Not at all. Now I will say that I identify that if I abuse the drinking of beer that I will become drunk and sin enters the situation stage right. LET ME BE CLEAR HERE, I like beer but I NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER allow myself to lose control. I don’t even allow myself to come close. I know my limits and what my body can handle. I drink beer because I enjoy the taste of it not so I can become drunk and act like an idiot. I decided when I turned 21 that I was going to partake in drinking alcohol but I also decided that I was going to be responsible. That decision goes for the rest of that list as well. Some people can’t handle reading or watching the Potter series. I acknowledge there are things in those books that God says to stay away from but there are also values in there that God himself tells us to cling to. Things like friendship, love, courage, sacrifice; if all you see is the sorcery then I’m sorry but you’ve missed the entire story.
It's not the object but the man using the object that is evil.
Now I’m not saying that you too should start drinking beer, go buy a motorcycle or pick a copy of the Potter book. What I am saying is that we need to change our thinking here as followers of Christ. Don't look down on fellow believers if they enjoy a beverage or cigar every now and then, as long as they do it responsibly. Furthermore don’t immediately write something off as “evil.” God says that he looks at the heart not the outward appearance and it’s time we do the same.
Take tattoos as yet another example. You cannot make a case based on scripture (without abusing the language or taking something out of context) to speak against tattoos. The word that is used in Leviticus is nowhere near the word or process that was used in ancient times. God was saying to the Levites that he doesn't want to be worshiped with cutting and abusing the body. So getting a tattoo is not evil, it's when the tattoo becomes an idol to the person that evil come into the picture. Tattoos have the potential to draw attention to one self. Once it becomes all about me and what I can do, that is when the problem comes. But a believer could use a tattoo as a tool for witness.
I do want to bring this up; as I’ve said the object is not evil but the man abusing it. We need to be aware of fellow believers who are abusing certain thing and are harming either themselves or others by their actions. The bible says that we need to rebuke each other IN LOVE in order to build each other up. Obviously things like drugs or cigarettes harm the body and should be throw out right away. But if a fellow believer is abusing something, they need to be told about it.
If I were to let my fondness of beer go too far and I was abusing it I would want someone to rebuke me so repentance could take place and forgiveness given. Like I said that would never happen but just as an example.
Though it is not the object but the person, we need to remember what Jesus did for us to break down the evil within us. The power of his love and sacrifice made it possible for us to have God’s spirit in us so that we can become more godly and turn away from out sinful nature. Thank you Jesus for what you did for us!!!
I hope in reading this you have been blessed. My intention was not to divide us but rather to bring us together. This was particularly difficult to write because I know this can be a touchy subject but one I felt the LORD leading me to address.
May our LORD be with you!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Greatest Stoy
My Father in Law is an amazing man. First of all he is 78 years old and still working. That by itself is incredible. But more than that when I think about his age and more importantly his life experience, I can't help but be blown away. Think about it if he is 78 that means he was born in the 30's. Imagine all he has lived through. WWII, the Cold War, Vietnam, Korea, Pearl Harbor, TMI, the bombing of Iwo Jima and Nagasaki he can remember where he was for all of these and more.
Furthermore I like to think of all the music he's lived through. The big bands of the 40's and 50's. The beginning of Rock and Roll, the metal era. He LIVED when bands like Led Zepplin, The Who, The Beatles, Rush and so many others all got there start and made their way to fame.
Think of all the cars he's lived through. Abby told me that he has owned every "classic" car, before they became classics.
The most amazing thing is the stories that he can tell. Before Abby and I got married He and I went to dinner a few times. I loved to just sit and listen to the stories he told. He would tell me tales of when he was a young man and worked on the railroad down outside of Enola. He told me one time that they used to make coffee in a huge pot. He and his coworkers would boil water and just put the grounds directly in the water. When it turned black they would kill the heat source and let the grounds settle. Then they just scoop it off the top and consume. He told me you could stay awake for 3 days on a cup of that joe. Take that McD's frappe crap.
Anyway, it's safe to say that he has seen and experienced some pretty amazing stuff. But you know what more amazing still? Of all the things he's lived through he would tell you that nothing compares to knowing Jesus Christ as his LORD and God as his Loving Father. Of all the awesome stuff he's lived through, he never truly lived until he came to realize that God the Father loves him with a love that spans across eternity and breaks through anything that stands in its way.
One of the many things I love about him is that he doesn't get all caught up in the dogmatic....stuff of Christianity. Denny Hall lives his life knowing that God loves him and that good enough for him.
When I was a kid, there was an autistic kid who lived in my neighborhood. He died several years ago from his condition. But a few years before he died he started going to a small church on the outskirts of our neighborhood. His funeral was held there and the pastor who gave the eulogy said something that will stick with me forever. He said that when Sean found out that God loves him just as he is, Sean immediately gave his life to Christ. That's all he needed to know. He didn't worry about whether Speaking in Tongues was still relevant to the church. Or if Calvin was right about pre-destination. ALL HE NEEDED TO KNOW IS THAT GOD LOVES HIM JUST AS HE IS.
Why can't we live just like that. Why do we let the...i'm going to say it....stupid dogmatic things of our faith get in the way of the simple truth that God loves us. God's love for us is so intense that He wouldn't even let death itself stop it. The Bible says that God dances over us with joy, quits us with His love and rejoices over us.
God loves you just as you are, this isn't a "I need to get in shape before I can go to the gym thing." God loves you just as you are, broken, messed up, He does his best work when He's working with broken clay.
Admittedly I don't know if I really have a point I'm coming to except this, God Loves You and you need to live life as though you know that fact. When you do, life is a whole lot simpler.
May our LORD be with you!!
Furthermore I like to think of all the music he's lived through. The big bands of the 40's and 50's. The beginning of Rock and Roll, the metal era. He LIVED when bands like Led Zepplin, The Who, The Beatles, Rush and so many others all got there start and made their way to fame.
Think of all the cars he's lived through. Abby told me that he has owned every "classic" car, before they became classics.
The most amazing thing is the stories that he can tell. Before Abby and I got married He and I went to dinner a few times. I loved to just sit and listen to the stories he told. He would tell me tales of when he was a young man and worked on the railroad down outside of Enola. He told me one time that they used to make coffee in a huge pot. He and his coworkers would boil water and just put the grounds directly in the water. When it turned black they would kill the heat source and let the grounds settle. Then they just scoop it off the top and consume. He told me you could stay awake for 3 days on a cup of that joe. Take that McD's frappe crap.
Anyway, it's safe to say that he has seen and experienced some pretty amazing stuff. But you know what more amazing still? Of all the things he's lived through he would tell you that nothing compares to knowing Jesus Christ as his LORD and God as his Loving Father. Of all the awesome stuff he's lived through, he never truly lived until he came to realize that God the Father loves him with a love that spans across eternity and breaks through anything that stands in its way.
One of the many things I love about him is that he doesn't get all caught up in the dogmatic....stuff of Christianity. Denny Hall lives his life knowing that God loves him and that good enough for him.
When I was a kid, there was an autistic kid who lived in my neighborhood. He died several years ago from his condition. But a few years before he died he started going to a small church on the outskirts of our neighborhood. His funeral was held there and the pastor who gave the eulogy said something that will stick with me forever. He said that when Sean found out that God loves him just as he is, Sean immediately gave his life to Christ. That's all he needed to know. He didn't worry about whether Speaking in Tongues was still relevant to the church. Or if Calvin was right about pre-destination. ALL HE NEEDED TO KNOW IS THAT GOD LOVES HIM JUST AS HE IS.
Why can't we live just like that. Why do we let the...i'm going to say it....stupid dogmatic things of our faith get in the way of the simple truth that God loves us. God's love for us is so intense that He wouldn't even let death itself stop it. The Bible says that God dances over us with joy, quits us with His love and rejoices over us.
God loves you just as you are, this isn't a "I need to get in shape before I can go to the gym thing." God loves you just as you are, broken, messed up, He does his best work when He's working with broken clay.
Admittedly I don't know if I really have a point I'm coming to except this, God Loves You and you need to live life as though you know that fact. When you do, life is a whole lot simpler.
May our LORD be with you!!
Friday, August 6, 2010
The Words of our Mouthes
Daily Feast-The Words of Our Mouth
Last night at Youth Group we talked about profanity. First it was hilarious when I said, "We are going to talk about profanity," and the entire group said, "What's profanity?" I guess that our educational system needs to step it up a bit. Anyway, our discussion time was about the words of our mouth. Something really cool happened in the midst of our lesson time. I did what I could to prepare for the evening but right in the middle of our talk the Holy Spirit invaded my mind and showed me what HE really wanted to conveyed and I want to share that with you.
Our first scripture was James 3:4-5; "Look at ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things." James is saying here that our tongue, one of the smallest parts of our body has a giant effect on our lives.
I then proceeded to ask the students where in the bible is the list of words we should not say. If our language has such a huge effect on our lives, surely God must have given us a clear cut list of what too and not too say. The answers were hysterical. They were pulling things out of every page of scripture trying to come up an answer. The truth is there is no list of words that we can and cannot say. Now that doesn't mean that there aren't certain words that our society has labeled "foul," or "bad" language. That fact remains we as believers in Jesus Christ should stay far away from these certain words. As I told the students, what if you tell a friend you are a "churchy" person then go and use a whole bunch of expletives. What will that say to the person? I think we all know the answer to that.
The revelation (and i will admit maybe you knew this and it has just taken me a while to figure it out for myself) is that this goes so much deeper that just not saying "bad words." As Francis Chan says in his book “Crazy Love”, "Jesus didn't just die so we could try and not cuss." We were given to ability to speak for such a greater purpose.
Ephesians 4 says, "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for the edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." We were given to ability to speak, so we could speak good things into each other's lives. You are able to talk to build up those around you.
So now the rubber meets the road, when you speak are you using your words for what they were meant for or not. We have several sets of siblings in our group and you should have seen the guilt on their faces. They totally gave themselves away. You could tell they were not. I have seen firsthand what they say to each other and they had every reason to be guilty.
There is a word in the bible that I think we all need to learn; slander. Slander is defined as ANYTHING negative you say about someone. Anything you say that is not meant for the building up or edification of others is considered slander. By the way gossiping is totally included in that.
God gave us the gift of speech, not so we could tear others down, but so we could build each other up. The next verse in Ephesians 4 says, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Using unwholesome words, filthiness, silly talk and coarse joking GRIEVE the Holy Spirit and have no place in a believer’s vocabulary.
Don't get me wrong I'm just as bad as the next person. I have said things and say things that are totally awful. We as believers in Jesus Christ need to start speaking as though we are believers in Jesus Christ. James says if we are able to tame the tongue we could bridle the whole body.
So I'm going to start right now and i encourage you to do the same. Say what is good for the building up of others. There is no magic formula or 5 step process I can give you. This depends on you and you alone. Be the change you long to see. Be slow to speak and when you do make sure it is for building up and not tearing down.
May our LORD be with you
Last night at Youth Group we talked about profanity. First it was hilarious when I said, "We are going to talk about profanity," and the entire group said, "What's profanity?" I guess that our educational system needs to step it up a bit. Anyway, our discussion time was about the words of our mouth. Something really cool happened in the midst of our lesson time. I did what I could to prepare for the evening but right in the middle of our talk the Holy Spirit invaded my mind and showed me what HE really wanted to conveyed and I want to share that with you.
Our first scripture was James 3:4-5; "Look at ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things." James is saying here that our tongue, one of the smallest parts of our body has a giant effect on our lives.
I then proceeded to ask the students where in the bible is the list of words we should not say. If our language has such a huge effect on our lives, surely God must have given us a clear cut list of what too and not too say. The answers were hysterical. They were pulling things out of every page of scripture trying to come up an answer. The truth is there is no list of words that we can and cannot say. Now that doesn't mean that there aren't certain words that our society has labeled "foul," or "bad" language. That fact remains we as believers in Jesus Christ should stay far away from these certain words. As I told the students, what if you tell a friend you are a "churchy" person then go and use a whole bunch of expletives. What will that say to the person? I think we all know the answer to that.
The revelation (and i will admit maybe you knew this and it has just taken me a while to figure it out for myself) is that this goes so much deeper that just not saying "bad words." As Francis Chan says in his book “Crazy Love”, "Jesus didn't just die so we could try and not cuss." We were given to ability to speak for such a greater purpose.
Ephesians 4 says, "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for the edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." We were given to ability to speak, so we could speak good things into each other's lives. You are able to talk to build up those around you.
So now the rubber meets the road, when you speak are you using your words for what they were meant for or not. We have several sets of siblings in our group and you should have seen the guilt on their faces. They totally gave themselves away. You could tell they were not. I have seen firsthand what they say to each other and they had every reason to be guilty.
There is a word in the bible that I think we all need to learn; slander. Slander is defined as ANYTHING negative you say about someone. Anything you say that is not meant for the building up or edification of others is considered slander. By the way gossiping is totally included in that.
God gave us the gift of speech, not so we could tear others down, but so we could build each other up. The next verse in Ephesians 4 says, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Using unwholesome words, filthiness, silly talk and coarse joking GRIEVE the Holy Spirit and have no place in a believer’s vocabulary.
Don't get me wrong I'm just as bad as the next person. I have said things and say things that are totally awful. We as believers in Jesus Christ need to start speaking as though we are believers in Jesus Christ. James says if we are able to tame the tongue we could bridle the whole body.
So I'm going to start right now and i encourage you to do the same. Say what is good for the building up of others. There is no magic formula or 5 step process I can give you. This depends on you and you alone. Be the change you long to see. Be slow to speak and when you do make sure it is for building up and not tearing down.
May our LORD be with you
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