I am beginning to notice a pattern here. There has been an increasing number of movies, tv shows, books, magazines and all kinds of other stuff that involve supernatural things, ie Superheroes, Vampires, Mermaids, Werewolves, Ghosts, Goblins, Witches, Hobbits, Creatures from the Black Lagoon and so on. Okay, honestly I haven't just noticed this, it's been happening for a while but I think the increase has been slow enough that it snuck up on us. Now all of a sudden when you go into a book or movie store it seems to be everywhere. Don't forget also that you can't browse through your TV Guide without seeing a show involving some kind of supernatural element on every station. Even the History Channel has programs of extra-terrestrial beings. It's getting kind of ridiculous.
Lately, in my personal time with God I have been praying for understanding. I have a knack for jumping to conclusions and claiming I know what people are thinking and making snap judgments based on my premature notions. So I have been asking for understanding, to peer into a situation and understand what is going on beneath the surface rather than jumping to conclusions.
So as I view the media driven world around me and I see the preoccupation we have with things that are superhuman, I wonder what this could mean. What is going on beneath the surface of our fascination with Vampires and Superheroes? In our culture and society today, why all of a sudden are we so taken with stories about such beings?
I believe that answer can be found in the bible. In Psalm 139, it says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. The author is writing poetry here about how amazed he is at God's creation of man. Throughout all of history we have be amazed at ourselves and how our bodies function and operate. In the ancient world it was physical limitations, in the Renaissance it was our emotional and artistic frontier and in today's culture we are fascinated with our psychological boundaries.
However, I believe we as mankind have missed the other part of what the author of Psalm 139 was trying to express. Some scholars believe and have written that, that phrase "fearfully and wonderfully" could also be read "fearfully wonderful," describing God and his work on mankind. Either way you look at it only a "fearfully wonderful" God could "fearfully and wonderfully" create us.
So we got the part about how great we are created and what cool creatures we are...but we have totally missed the mark on exploring how great and cool God is and that is where I think all of this super, extra-human stuff is coming into play. We want so desperately to believe that there is something else out there. That is why fantasy material is so captivating. The thought of something greater than ourselves is appealing.
The problem is, there is something greater than us...He is called God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit. We have looked inward for so long, mankind has tried to deny God for so long, that we don't see God is the simplest things anymore. The sunrise at the beach, the waves crashing on the shore, a neighbor doing a good deed, a trespasser being shown forgiveness when he or she doesn't deserve it, we can see God in every circumstance we come across in life. We can acknowledge how cool he is and how wonderful are his deeds but instead we put more credence in creatures that are figments of our God-given creative imagination. The church is not immune to this either. We have stopped looking to God for our everything and look to ourselves. Lest we forget it is God who will save the world and not us!!
I am not saying that reading books or seeing movies about these things are a bad but do they take up more time in your life than God? Do you give more energy to fantastical stories rather than the truth of God's word?
I like Superheroes and the like as much as the next guy but, friends I encourage you if you are looking for something that is greater than yourself...something superhuman, look to God. Give your life to Jesus. Living this life with God's Spirit inside you and the adventures He will take you on is greater than any story you could ever watch or read about. The power to do good works and bring people to a relationship with Jesus is the great superhuman story of all.
When will yours begin??
May our LORD be with you
Josh
Friday, June 22, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Growing into Greatness
The life of Peter has always amazed me. I don't know if you know this but the
book of Mark is really the book of Peter. Back then computers were known as people
who knew how to write. Peter wrote his book through a man named John Mark. John
Mark was able to write so Peter dictated his account of Jesus to Mark and Mark wrote it
down, which is why to book is called the gospel of Mark and not the gospel of Peter.
Either way you look at it the gospel is about Jesus, but the life and story of Peter always
fascinates me.
I recently read through the book of Mark. Knowing that this is the account of
Jesus through Peter's eyes makes the book a little more interesting when you read it.
You can find personality traits of Peter scattered all throughout the text. For example
we know Peter to be a man of rash action rather than well thought out planning.
Throughout the book the word "Immediately" seems to appear quite often. Jesus
immediately got into the boat and went to the other side and immediately a crowd came
upon him and he immediately began to heal the sick and immediately they were
healed...you get the point. Another example is the account of when Peter denied
Jesus. In this gospel it is particularly detailed.
I say all this to bring up this point. Peter is known to all believers as one of the
giant heroes of the faith but the thing is he didn't start out that way. He made a lot of
mistakes, even to the point of denying that he knew Jesus, pretty much to his face. We
know him as this great man of God who wrote beautiful material and theology on our
faith but Jesus knew him as the blundering idiot who put his foot in his mouth more
often than not. Yet Jesus still said of Peter, "upon this rock, I will build my church".
I don't know where you are at today. But I can tell you that Jesus loves you more
than you could ever comprehend and he wants to use you in his high risk endeavors.
You may feel more like the blundering Peter than the faith giant Peter...that is okay.
Jesus did not write Peter off the first time he made a mistake and he will never do that
to you either.
Being a Christian is not a one time thing; say a prayer and you are perfect, it is
life changing and growing experience. Peter didn't go from fisherman to Saint right
when Jesus said "follow me", he grew into the greatness we know of him today and the
same is true for you and me. We can be great followers of Christ, even though we don't
feel that way sometimes, it is still true, we can be great just like Peter. Friends, the key is that
we need to realize that we need to go through the growing process and take the right steps
towardJesus. When we stumble and fall get up, learn from the mistake, ask for forgiveness
and use the experience to draw closer to Jesus.
Christ wants to use you to change the world. Yes, YOU!!! The broken, sinful,
wretch that you are, he wants to use you, the same way he used Peter. I encourage
you, stay the course, follow after Christ and remember, Peter started out just as much
of a mistake maker as you and me.
May our LORD be with you
Josh
book of Mark is really the book of Peter. Back then computers were known as people
who knew how to write. Peter wrote his book through a man named John Mark. John
Mark was able to write so Peter dictated his account of Jesus to Mark and Mark wrote it
down, which is why to book is called the gospel of Mark and not the gospel of Peter.
Either way you look at it the gospel is about Jesus, but the life and story of Peter always
fascinates me.
I recently read through the book of Mark. Knowing that this is the account of
Jesus through Peter's eyes makes the book a little more interesting when you read it.
You can find personality traits of Peter scattered all throughout the text. For example
we know Peter to be a man of rash action rather than well thought out planning.
Throughout the book the word "Immediately" seems to appear quite often. Jesus
immediately got into the boat and went to the other side and immediately a crowd came
upon him and he immediately began to heal the sick and immediately they were
healed...you get the point. Another example is the account of when Peter denied
Jesus. In this gospel it is particularly detailed.
I say all this to bring up this point. Peter is known to all believers as one of the
giant heroes of the faith but the thing is he didn't start out that way. He made a lot of
mistakes, even to the point of denying that he knew Jesus, pretty much to his face. We
know him as this great man of God who wrote beautiful material and theology on our
faith but Jesus knew him as the blundering idiot who put his foot in his mouth more
often than not. Yet Jesus still said of Peter, "upon this rock, I will build my church".
I don't know where you are at today. But I can tell you that Jesus loves you more
than you could ever comprehend and he wants to use you in his high risk endeavors.
You may feel more like the blundering Peter than the faith giant Peter...that is okay.
Jesus did not write Peter off the first time he made a mistake and he will never do that
to you either.
Being a Christian is not a one time thing; say a prayer and you are perfect, it is
life changing and growing experience. Peter didn't go from fisherman to Saint right
when Jesus said "follow me", he grew into the greatness we know of him today and the
same is true for you and me. We can be great followers of Christ, even though we don't
feel that way sometimes, it is still true, we can be great just like Peter. Friends, the key is that
we need to realize that we need to go through the growing process and take the right steps
towardJesus. When we stumble and fall get up, learn from the mistake, ask for forgiveness
and use the experience to draw closer to Jesus.
Christ wants to use you to change the world. Yes, YOU!!! The broken, sinful,
wretch that you are, he wants to use you, the same way he used Peter. I encourage
you, stay the course, follow after Christ and remember, Peter started out just as much
of a mistake maker as you and me.
May our LORD be with you
Josh
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Verbal Vomit
When I get worked up about something it is hard for me not to voice my opinion. However I am getting better at using that filter in my brain. Lately though, it has been really hard to keep my mouth closed especially when it comes to people's comments on certain social media sites. People make the most outlandish, uneducated, brash remarks, at times I can hardly believe the commentary I am reading. The Internet is a great tool but unfortunately it is also used for people to spew their verbal vomit all over everyone else. Every time I read something it takes a lot not to comment back but I remember the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the mount, "don't cast your pearls before swine because they will trample on you", and trample they do.
Take for example this once instance that my wife encountered. Someone posted an uplifting picture referencing God and how He uses people whom we would think are unusable. The comments, from people who claim to be non-believers and such, went a flyin'. The funny thing is, when they would comment about their unbelief, believers would try to encourage and speak in love to them in a non-judgemental way and the unbelievers would then revile the believers and tear them down.
It makes me sad and mad all at the same time. Then this morning I was reading in Psalm 73. David is complaining to God about the wicked people he sees getting ahead in life and asks what is going on. Then about half way through David makes this statement, "But I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin".
I though about this for a bit and found that I have similar feelings and thoughts with David. I think how crazy these people are and how awful things seem to be and I don't understand any of it. I don't understand how these people can live this way and mock God the way they do and it all seems to be okay. I can't stand having different issues and people's opinions rammed down my throat day after day and then I am called the bigot because I disagree or see things a different way. How can this be?!?
David says when he sits back and gets in God's presences, he begins to understand what is going on here. These people seem to be okay with life. They seem to know what they are talking about and have it all together but the truth is they are so far from being okay. Their own life style and choices make their life ruin. They seem to walk a good path but their way is slippery.
Only a life given over to God and built on the rock of Jesus can stand. Things may seem bad and headed for worse but we can always stand on Jesus. He and only He provides the foundation we need for a life that is worth living. Keep the faith, keep walking the walk, live for Him and nothing else. Acknowledge God in everything and He will make straight your path.
may our LORD be with you
Josh
Take for example this once instance that my wife encountered. Someone posted an uplifting picture referencing God and how He uses people whom we would think are unusable. The comments, from people who claim to be non-believers and such, went a flyin'. The funny thing is, when they would comment about their unbelief, believers would try to encourage and speak in love to them in a non-judgemental way and the unbelievers would then revile the believers and tear them down.
It makes me sad and mad all at the same time. Then this morning I was reading in Psalm 73. David is complaining to God about the wicked people he sees getting ahead in life and asks what is going on. Then about half way through David makes this statement, "But I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin".
I though about this for a bit and found that I have similar feelings and thoughts with David. I think how crazy these people are and how awful things seem to be and I don't understand any of it. I don't understand how these people can live this way and mock God the way they do and it all seems to be okay. I can't stand having different issues and people's opinions rammed down my throat day after day and then I am called the bigot because I disagree or see things a different way. How can this be?!?
David says when he sits back and gets in God's presences, he begins to understand what is going on here. These people seem to be okay with life. They seem to know what they are talking about and have it all together but the truth is they are so far from being okay. Their own life style and choices make their life ruin. They seem to walk a good path but their way is slippery.
Only a life given over to God and built on the rock of Jesus can stand. Things may seem bad and headed for worse but we can always stand on Jesus. He and only He provides the foundation we need for a life that is worth living. Keep the faith, keep walking the walk, live for Him and nothing else. Acknowledge God in everything and He will make straight your path.
may our LORD be with you
Josh
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