So God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1: 27 NKJV
Our self image can have a huge effect on our lives. For many years I've struggled with weight issues, and this has had a huge effect on how I view myself. My view of myself was not based on how God saw me, but on how the world viewed me. As a result, I usualy ended up with very low self esteem. This snoballed into isolating myself as well as weight and fitness issues. It's a vicious cycle, realy, the more I thought others were looking down on me due to my physical appearance, the more I would turn to food and isolation for comfort. You see, when you're alone, there's nobody there to look down on you. Never once did I attempt to see myself as God saw me. Better yet, I was imposing my negative views of myself on others. I knew I was out of shape, so I just assumed that others saw me this way as well. As a result, I isolated myself from others to avoid being hurt. Of course, I'm sure I shut the door on more than a few potential friendships as well. Hermits don't have too many friends. Now, did others see me as negatively as I saw myself? In my mind they did. I had seen so many times where others had hurt me that it was easier for me to avoid being hurt altogether. Yeah, that didn't work out too well either. Long story short, my isolation and physical condition eventualy led to a pretty serious knee injury.
This would have been a serious dead end for me had it not been for a few Godly friends who didn't give up on me like I'd given up on myself so long ago. Whether these guys saw me as God viewed me or not, they were a blessing in my life when I needed them the most. I remember my friend Kevin refering a video titled "Gods Chisel" to me. Now, I would definately recomend this video to anyone with ANY concerns on how their creator sees them. In Genesis we are told that God created us in HIS own image, in Gods image he created each and every one of us, not just christians...EVERYONE. Think about it, the entire world is populated with people that God created. Consider that the next time you get angry with your neighbor. Now, my self image issues aren't totaly cured, that's a work in progress. One thing I have learned, I am Gods child created in his image!
~Scott~
Thank you for your friendship and guidance...
Dennis Deardorff
David Fulton
Kevin Janisse
Chuck Goldberg
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Monday, September 28, 2015
It Takes A Community
KOINONIA ~ Is a transliterated form of the greek word, KOLVWVIA, which means communion, joint participation; the share which one has in anything, participation, a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, etc.
~Wikipedia~
I got to wondering this week about the true meaning of "community" in our modern church. My friend David observed recently that the modern church is incapable of true community, of Koinonia in the true sense of the word. In a sense I agree, but I also feel there is room for us to get back to community in our local church. The question we need to ask ourselves is, are we willing? In order for us to achieve the community that was demonstrated for us in the early church, we would need to get back to some bare bones basics. Also remember, our world was a vastly different place in the days of the early church. We can learn alot about community from these early believers.
Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possesions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2: 44-47 NKJV
To me, I look at this scripture in Acts 2 and it screams out "COMMUNITY!" What better example of the church coming together than this example? If there was anyone in need, those around them would help. Imagine the impact on our hungry, homeless and poor today if we followed this example. Of course, also imagine the changes we would need to make as a society to accomplish this. Now, one of the things I have not been in recent memory is a very social person. Yes, I have my group of friends who I confide in, but I've been lax in opening myself up to other people. In order for this community to work, people like me would need to open ourselves up to others...OUCH! I'm happy to say that at least I'm not the only roadblock on our path to community, I have plenty of company. The focus would need to change from the "me" generation to a new "we" generation. If your neighbor came knocking and was in desperate need of food or assistance of some kind, you could offer to help without feeling obligated or keeping a ledger of what he was borrowing. Well, for me that would take some serious retraining. It's difficult to say the least, but I don't think it's impossible by any means. Being able to look past ourselves and to the needs of others is a big step. Imagine the vulnerability of people as they open themselves up to others around them. I'm still working on my imperfections. I guess I can understand why David feels that true community is out of our reach.
~Scott~
~Wikipedia~
I got to wondering this week about the true meaning of "community" in our modern church. My friend David observed recently that the modern church is incapable of true community, of Koinonia in the true sense of the word. In a sense I agree, but I also feel there is room for us to get back to community in our local church. The question we need to ask ourselves is, are we willing? In order for us to achieve the community that was demonstrated for us in the early church, we would need to get back to some bare bones basics. Also remember, our world was a vastly different place in the days of the early church. We can learn alot about community from these early believers.
Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possesions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2: 44-47 NKJV
To me, I look at this scripture in Acts 2 and it screams out "COMMUNITY!" What better example of the church coming together than this example? If there was anyone in need, those around them would help. Imagine the impact on our hungry, homeless and poor today if we followed this example. Of course, also imagine the changes we would need to make as a society to accomplish this. Now, one of the things I have not been in recent memory is a very social person. Yes, I have my group of friends who I confide in, but I've been lax in opening myself up to other people. In order for this community to work, people like me would need to open ourselves up to others...OUCH! I'm happy to say that at least I'm not the only roadblock on our path to community, I have plenty of company. The focus would need to change from the "me" generation to a new "we" generation. If your neighbor came knocking and was in desperate need of food or assistance of some kind, you could offer to help without feeling obligated or keeping a ledger of what he was borrowing. Well, for me that would take some serious retraining. It's difficult to say the least, but I don't think it's impossible by any means. Being able to look past ourselves and to the needs of others is a big step. Imagine the vulnerability of people as they open themselves up to others around them. I'm still working on my imperfections. I guess I can understand why David feels that true community is out of our reach.
~Scott~
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Alive
Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it hapened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?
Luke 24: 3-5 NKJV
This has long been one of my favorite verses. As christians, we serve a God who is very much alive. In Luke 24, we see the followers of Jesus returning to the very tomb where Jesus had been buried just three days earlier. I'm sure that they were fully expecting to see a guarded, closed tomb, just as it was when their friend and teacher had been buried. Imaginne their surprise upon seeing the Lords tomb that not only was the tomb uncovered, but Jesus was nowhere in sight! Their first thought, of course, was that someone must have broken in and taken the body of Jesus away. They did not recall the words of Jesus, when he warned them of all that he must suffer at the hands of sinful men. Add to that the fact that the stone covering the entrance to the tomb was extremely heavy and not easily moved. Still, someone MUST have broken in and stolen his body. You see, Jesus had plenty of enemies.
Enter the angels of the Lord, who brought to the friends of Jesus the news that he was very much alive. Yes, there were those who still doubted this fact, but to these women at the tomb of the risen Christ that morning, the proof was right in front of their eyes.
"He is not here, but is risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was in Galilee, "saying, "The son of mman must be delivered into the hhands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." And they remembered his words.
Luke 24: 6-8
However, even though these women now believed the truth, when they returned to tell their friends of what they had witnessed, they did not believe them.
I hear alot of people these days say that we cchristians serve a God that is dead. That we engage in a old fashioned, out of date belief that has no semblence of reality. I grow tired of trying to explain to people that the scriptures tell us clearly the truth of the life, death and resurection of Jesus. I've come to the understanding, however, that many times I'll be unable to convince someone of the reality of the living God. See, the creator of all the universe is more than capable of defending himself and bringing others to the realization that he is indeed real. However, God can definately use me, and others, as a means to reach people with the truth they need to hear. It should be our prayer each day, that God would bring into our lives those that need to hear the good news of our living God.
~Scott~
Luke 24: 3-5 NKJV
This has long been one of my favorite verses. As christians, we serve a God who is very much alive. In Luke 24, we see the followers of Jesus returning to the very tomb where Jesus had been buried just three days earlier. I'm sure that they were fully expecting to see a guarded, closed tomb, just as it was when their friend and teacher had been buried. Imaginne their surprise upon seeing the Lords tomb that not only was the tomb uncovered, but Jesus was nowhere in sight! Their first thought, of course, was that someone must have broken in and taken the body of Jesus away. They did not recall the words of Jesus, when he warned them of all that he must suffer at the hands of sinful men. Add to that the fact that the stone covering the entrance to the tomb was extremely heavy and not easily moved. Still, someone MUST have broken in and stolen his body. You see, Jesus had plenty of enemies.
Enter the angels of the Lord, who brought to the friends of Jesus the news that he was very much alive. Yes, there were those who still doubted this fact, but to these women at the tomb of the risen Christ that morning, the proof was right in front of their eyes.
"He is not here, but is risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was in Galilee, "saying, "The son of mman must be delivered into the hhands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." And they remembered his words.
Luke 24: 6-8
However, even though these women now believed the truth, when they returned to tell their friends of what they had witnessed, they did not believe them.
I hear alot of people these days say that we cchristians serve a God that is dead. That we engage in a old fashioned, out of date belief that has no semblence of reality. I grow tired of trying to explain to people that the scriptures tell us clearly the truth of the life, death and resurection of Jesus. I've come to the understanding, however, that many times I'll be unable to convince someone of the reality of the living God. See, the creator of all the universe is more than capable of defending himself and bringing others to the realization that he is indeed real. However, God can definately use me, and others, as a means to reach people with the truth they need to hear. It should be our prayer each day, that God would bring into our lives those that need to hear the good news of our living God.
~Scott~
Friday, September 25, 2015
Morallly Obligated
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultry, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissentions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galations 5: 19-21 NKJV
Lately, the subject of morality has become a big issue in this country. Maybe it's the state of our society as a whole, or the depravity of some people among us. The truth is, there has been a marked increase in bad behavior in the world around us. Taking a look at the verses in Galations 5, can we in all honesty say that the behavior of people today is all that different from the antics of those in the apostle Pauls day? It seems that the bad behavior we are warned of in Galations and other parts of scripture is alive and well today. So, it doesn't look like we heeded Pauls warning at all. At least as a society we've proven God correct once again. Even if the world is going to hell in a decorated hand basket, we still can all still abstain from bad behavior. I could have avoided participating in bad behaviors many times, yet I'm guilty, we all are. Call it our fleshly or sin nature, but eventually we'll all fail badly. "Little white lies" are still just that, lies. I can't go through the list of behaviors in Galations 5 without coming across something wrong I've done. A very loose translation of the word "Practice" in the Greek language is to "Meditate" on something. So, if we put that in context, if we ""Meditate" on these behaviors, if we dwell on them, we will not inherit the kingdom of God. There is a major difference between constantly "Practicing" or engaging in bad behavior and failing occasionaly. I can think of one clear example of someone who engaged in bad behavior and yet entered Gods paradise. In Luke 23:43 we are introduced to a criminal who was crucified right next to Jesus. His partner in crime taunted and blasphemed Jesus, but this fellow obviously saw something different happening and asked that Jesus not forget him when he entered his kingdom. Jesus' response to this request is one we'd all like to hear..."Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." For his part, this criminals past was wiped clean as he followed the risen Lord into his kingdom.
Although we are warned against engaging in bad behavior, there is hope when we ultimately fail.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2: 8-10
Yes, even though we will ultimately stumble and fail, we are saved by Gods loving grace if we will believe in Jesus. Gods desire is that we all will be saved. We all have sinned and fallen short of the grace of God, but we are all still his loving creation.
~Scott~
Galations 5: 19-21 NKJV
Lately, the subject of morality has become a big issue in this country. Maybe it's the state of our society as a whole, or the depravity of some people among us. The truth is, there has been a marked increase in bad behavior in the world around us. Taking a look at the verses in Galations 5, can we in all honesty say that the behavior of people today is all that different from the antics of those in the apostle Pauls day? It seems that the bad behavior we are warned of in Galations and other parts of scripture is alive and well today. So, it doesn't look like we heeded Pauls warning at all. At least as a society we've proven God correct once again. Even if the world is going to hell in a decorated hand basket, we still can all still abstain from bad behavior. I could have avoided participating in bad behaviors many times, yet I'm guilty, we all are. Call it our fleshly or sin nature, but eventually we'll all fail badly. "Little white lies" are still just that, lies. I can't go through the list of behaviors in Galations 5 without coming across something wrong I've done. A very loose translation of the word "Practice" in the Greek language is to "Meditate" on something. So, if we put that in context, if we ""Meditate" on these behaviors, if we dwell on them, we will not inherit the kingdom of God. There is a major difference between constantly "Practicing" or engaging in bad behavior and failing occasionaly. I can think of one clear example of someone who engaged in bad behavior and yet entered Gods paradise. In Luke 23:43 we are introduced to a criminal who was crucified right next to Jesus. His partner in crime taunted and blasphemed Jesus, but this fellow obviously saw something different happening and asked that Jesus not forget him when he entered his kingdom. Jesus' response to this request is one we'd all like to hear..."Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." For his part, this criminals past was wiped clean as he followed the risen Lord into his kingdom.
Although we are warned against engaging in bad behavior, there is hope when we ultimately fail.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2: 8-10
Yes, even though we will ultimately stumble and fail, we are saved by Gods loving grace if we will believe in Jesus. Gods desire is that we all will be saved. We all have sinned and fallen short of the grace of God, but we are all still his loving creation.
~Scott~
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Identity
For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galations 3: 27-28
If there is one aspect of the christian faith that I have struggled alot with is my identity in Christ. The word clearly states that we who believe are one in Christ. We have been crucified with Jesus, therefore he dwells in our new creation. 1 Corinthians 6:19 goes as far as to tell us that our fleshly bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who we have received from God. So, if we are to trust in Gods word, and there is absolutely no reason we shouldn't, the crucified Christ resides in all of us. Ok, now that we know this it opens up a whole new gambit in regards to our thoughts and behavior. Think about it, all of our senses sight, touch, hearing, smell, are all connected to Christ who is in us. Instead of viewing that internet pornography, should we ask ourselves "Jesus...is this something you'd like to see?" Stop and think the next time your angry at someone "Jesus, my savior, will you approve of the angry words I'm about to say?" Can you see where I'm going with this? Gods word clearly says that Christ resides in each of us. So, what we see, Jesus see's. What we hear, Jesus hears. What we say to others, well, you get the idea. Now, I'm not saying that the God of all creation can't see all that we do anyway, but we now share our bodies with him. How much closer to Jesus can we be? Each and every day we walk in companionship with Jesus. He is literaly as close as our next breath. The relationship that God shared with mankind in the Garden of Eden has been reestablished through Christ Jesus. Now the hard part, as it's been for me personaly. We can read every scripture relating to Jesus residing within us, but do we believe it? Do we trust Gods word as true? If we do, it can shatter completely the image of ourselves that the world gives us. No longer are we fat, ugly, slow, dumb or inferior to anyone. We can then look in the mirror each and every morning knowing full well that we are no longer inferior, but a child of the LIVING God! Yeah, we're still surrounded by a sinful "temporary" world that will bombard us with negative messages, but God promises us that his one and only son resides in each of us. I've never known God to lie.
"Jesus removed our sins and guarantees we can be raised from the dead...I'm still waiting on someone to enlighten me on what story beats that one!"
Duck Dynasty Patriarch Phil Robertson
Galations 3: 27-28
If there is one aspect of the christian faith that I have struggled alot with is my identity in Christ. The word clearly states that we who believe are one in Christ. We have been crucified with Jesus, therefore he dwells in our new creation. 1 Corinthians 6:19 goes as far as to tell us that our fleshly bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who we have received from God. So, if we are to trust in Gods word, and there is absolutely no reason we shouldn't, the crucified Christ resides in all of us. Ok, now that we know this it opens up a whole new gambit in regards to our thoughts and behavior. Think about it, all of our senses sight, touch, hearing, smell, are all connected to Christ who is in us. Instead of viewing that internet pornography, should we ask ourselves "Jesus...is this something you'd like to see?" Stop and think the next time your angry at someone "Jesus, my savior, will you approve of the angry words I'm about to say?" Can you see where I'm going with this? Gods word clearly says that Christ resides in each of us. So, what we see, Jesus see's. What we hear, Jesus hears. What we say to others, well, you get the idea. Now, I'm not saying that the God of all creation can't see all that we do anyway, but we now share our bodies with him. How much closer to Jesus can we be? Each and every day we walk in companionship with Jesus. He is literaly as close as our next breath. The relationship that God shared with mankind in the Garden of Eden has been reestablished through Christ Jesus. Now the hard part, as it's been for me personaly. We can read every scripture relating to Jesus residing within us, but do we believe it? Do we trust Gods word as true? If we do, it can shatter completely the image of ourselves that the world gives us. No longer are we fat, ugly, slow, dumb or inferior to anyone. We can then look in the mirror each and every morning knowing full well that we are no longer inferior, but a child of the LIVING God! Yeah, we're still surrounded by a sinful "temporary" world that will bombard us with negative messages, but God promises us that his one and only son resides in each of us. I've never known God to lie.
"Jesus removed our sins and guarantees we can be raised from the dead...I'm still waiting on someone to enlighten me on what story beats that one!"
Duck Dynasty Patriarch Phil Robertson
Sunday, September 20, 2015
A Most Unlikely Messenger
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Acts 9: 1-2 NKJV
I've made this observation to a few friends of mine in the past when the subject of discipleship has come up. "Who am I to lead someone to Jesus?" I mean, doesn't God know my past and what I've been through? I'm sure there would be someone more spirirual, more Godly that God could choose to lead others to himself. Honestly, I didn't feel comfortable at all in that role. I knew myself all too well, or did I? I can't imagine what Saul was feeling when he was stopped by Jesus on that road to Damascus, but I'm guessing it was more than likely along the same lines of what I thought when asked to do the same, why me? It would do us good to remember that it's not above the creator of all the universe to choose which vessel he'll use to bring his message of salvation to others. In fact, wouldn't that message have more impact coming from someone as unlikely as Saul, or any of us who doubt ourselves?
I can recall at least three men who not only changed lives, but who were used by God to spread the message he needed to be heard by others. Moses was very reluctant when confronted by God on that mountain. God had heard the cries of his people who were in slavery in Egypt, and now it was time to deliver them. Moses had other ideas, why me? In fact, he even suggested that God send his brother Aaron in his place. Well, God sent Aaron as Moses suggested, as Moses' helper! What about that man Jonah? If there's one thing we can take away from his story is that you can't run from God. Jonah tried, and ended up regurgitated on a beach by a fish! That brings us back to our friend Saul, who would later call himself "Chief of all sinners." There we have it, three unlikely men who I'm sure had no idea what God had in store for them. One question they all asked, why me God?
My friend David and I still talk about the subject of talking to others about God. Yes, my response is usually the same, why me? David is a unique person in that he has made many of his connections with other men while sitting in Starbucks drinking coffee. I'm not sure if the words why me have ever come to his mind when connecting with other guys. One thing is certain, whatever he's doing is working for him as he's led many guys to Jesus. In the end it comes down to stepping outside of ourselves and allowing God to lead us to those people who desperately need to hear about Jesus. Imagine our reaction if we were praying and Gods first response was...why me?
~Scott~
Acts 9: 1-2 NKJV
I've made this observation to a few friends of mine in the past when the subject of discipleship has come up. "Who am I to lead someone to Jesus?" I mean, doesn't God know my past and what I've been through? I'm sure there would be someone more spirirual, more Godly that God could choose to lead others to himself. Honestly, I didn't feel comfortable at all in that role. I knew myself all too well, or did I? I can't imagine what Saul was feeling when he was stopped by Jesus on that road to Damascus, but I'm guessing it was more than likely along the same lines of what I thought when asked to do the same, why me? It would do us good to remember that it's not above the creator of all the universe to choose which vessel he'll use to bring his message of salvation to others. In fact, wouldn't that message have more impact coming from someone as unlikely as Saul, or any of us who doubt ourselves?
I can recall at least three men who not only changed lives, but who were used by God to spread the message he needed to be heard by others. Moses was very reluctant when confronted by God on that mountain. God had heard the cries of his people who were in slavery in Egypt, and now it was time to deliver them. Moses had other ideas, why me? In fact, he even suggested that God send his brother Aaron in his place. Well, God sent Aaron as Moses suggested, as Moses' helper! What about that man Jonah? If there's one thing we can take away from his story is that you can't run from God. Jonah tried, and ended up regurgitated on a beach by a fish! That brings us back to our friend Saul, who would later call himself "Chief of all sinners." There we have it, three unlikely men who I'm sure had no idea what God had in store for them. One question they all asked, why me God?
My friend David and I still talk about the subject of talking to others about God. Yes, my response is usually the same, why me? David is a unique person in that he has made many of his connections with other men while sitting in Starbucks drinking coffee. I'm not sure if the words why me have ever come to his mind when connecting with other guys. One thing is certain, whatever he's doing is working for him as he's led many guys to Jesus. In the end it comes down to stepping outside of ourselves and allowing God to lead us to those people who desperately need to hear about Jesus. Imagine our reaction if we were praying and Gods first response was...why me?
~Scott~
Saturday, September 19, 2015
The Least Of These
"For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gav me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me." "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe You? 'Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?' "And the King will answer and say to them, 'assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me.'
Matthew 25: 35-40 NKJV
Charity is a huge deal these days. Everywhere I look I see a non profit charity group of one kind or another. From helping the homeless to assisting inner city youth, there's no shortage of organizations out there to assist people. Of course, in my opinion, the United States Government is the largest charity of all, but that's another story. The point I'm making is this, if for some reason the fortunes of any of us were to take a turn for the worse, there would at least be a chance of assistance from somewhere. Don't get me wrong, this is a good thing. As scripture tells us we're supposed to look after those among us who are less fortunate. It saddens me when I hear that there are not enough charitable donations out coming in to cover those in need. As Americans, we have the luxury of living in one of the most abundant, economicaly successful nations in the history of mankind. Whenever a natural disaster strikes somewhere in this world of ours, the United States is usualy the first nation to offer assistance and material support to the survivors. I know that this image of America does not fit in with the opinion of America of our current sitting president, but it's the truth. Americans have traditionaly been giving people.
What is our motivation for giving? In this nation of abundance and economic success, why are there still those in need? Why do we rush to fill the storehouses of a country hit by disaster, yet allow people to go hungry in our own nation? It always boggles my mind how a nation as successful as ours could have such a influx of needy people. I won't get into the definition of "Poverty" because I think it changes with each persons situation. However, I see plenty of people with I Phones, satalite TV's, nice clothes and not having to worry about where their next meal will come from. Yet, these very same people will complain they don't have enough to get by. I think to myself, 'God has blessed you and yet you strive for more?' Most of us, myself included, have not seen the poverty of many of the nations in the world around us. I wonder how much we would complain if we had what a family in one of these countries had to live on? Are we spoiled by our success? I'm thinking so.
Just this morning I was sitting having my morning coffee in the local coffee super corporation when I noticed a man walk in. He wasn't anything special, but it was obvious that he was living on the street. So obvious, that he made a good number of people uncomfortable. Now, my job entails that I work among Portlands homeless population, and I've witnessed the trash and mess that many of them produce. So, I guess my heart has become hardened to anyone that I see in that condition. I think my first thought was "Just another homeless guy." Well, this man walked up to the counter and ordered a coffee, then searched his pockets for the money to pay for his drink. This wasn't a large foo foo drink that I was enjoying, just a normal sized coffee. Not finding the money to pay for his drink, he walked out to sit outside. Now, I'm sure it wouldn't break Howard Shultz to have given this man a free coffee, but that's not company "policy." I couldn't blame him, even I had more than a few prejudices against this man and those like him. All of this was happening in front of me as I was reading my bible, just another pious, greedy christian right? As I got ready to leave, I purchased a gift card and walked out. I didn't know this man, his name or his situation, that wasn't important at the time. What was important was if I would follow where God was leading me.
This wasn't a "ministry" opportunity, this was a giving opportunity. I half expected him to give me his life story, but he simply thanked me and tried not to be emotional...as we give to the least of these.
~Scott~
Matthew 25: 35-40 NKJV
Charity is a huge deal these days. Everywhere I look I see a non profit charity group of one kind or another. From helping the homeless to assisting inner city youth, there's no shortage of organizations out there to assist people. Of course, in my opinion, the United States Government is the largest charity of all, but that's another story. The point I'm making is this, if for some reason the fortunes of any of us were to take a turn for the worse, there would at least be a chance of assistance from somewhere. Don't get me wrong, this is a good thing. As scripture tells us we're supposed to look after those among us who are less fortunate. It saddens me when I hear that there are not enough charitable donations out coming in to cover those in need. As Americans, we have the luxury of living in one of the most abundant, economicaly successful nations in the history of mankind. Whenever a natural disaster strikes somewhere in this world of ours, the United States is usualy the first nation to offer assistance and material support to the survivors. I know that this image of America does not fit in with the opinion of America of our current sitting president, but it's the truth. Americans have traditionaly been giving people.
What is our motivation for giving? In this nation of abundance and economic success, why are there still those in need? Why do we rush to fill the storehouses of a country hit by disaster, yet allow people to go hungry in our own nation? It always boggles my mind how a nation as successful as ours could have such a influx of needy people. I won't get into the definition of "Poverty" because I think it changes with each persons situation. However, I see plenty of people with I Phones, satalite TV's, nice clothes and not having to worry about where their next meal will come from. Yet, these very same people will complain they don't have enough to get by. I think to myself, 'God has blessed you and yet you strive for more?' Most of us, myself included, have not seen the poverty of many of the nations in the world around us. I wonder how much we would complain if we had what a family in one of these countries had to live on? Are we spoiled by our success? I'm thinking so.
Just this morning I was sitting having my morning coffee in the local coffee super corporation when I noticed a man walk in. He wasn't anything special, but it was obvious that he was living on the street. So obvious, that he made a good number of people uncomfortable. Now, my job entails that I work among Portlands homeless population, and I've witnessed the trash and mess that many of them produce. So, I guess my heart has become hardened to anyone that I see in that condition. I think my first thought was "Just another homeless guy." Well, this man walked up to the counter and ordered a coffee, then searched his pockets for the money to pay for his drink. This wasn't a large foo foo drink that I was enjoying, just a normal sized coffee. Not finding the money to pay for his drink, he walked out to sit outside. Now, I'm sure it wouldn't break Howard Shultz to have given this man a free coffee, but that's not company "policy." I couldn't blame him, even I had more than a few prejudices against this man and those like him. All of this was happening in front of me as I was reading my bible, just another pious, greedy christian right? As I got ready to leave, I purchased a gift card and walked out. I didn't know this man, his name or his situation, that wasn't important at the time. What was important was if I would follow where God was leading me.
This wasn't a "ministry" opportunity, this was a giving opportunity. I half expected him to give me his life story, but he simply thanked me and tried not to be emotional...as we give to the least of these.
~Scott~
A Different Focus
For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
! Corinthians 3: 3
My friend David brought something up to me this past week. Lately I've gotten in the habit of reading a good number of books out there that give due dillegance to pointing out the imperfections of our modern church. I admit that there are a few good books out there (Andrew Farley, Bill Perkins and Steve McVey to name a few) In fact, we have so many books out there among us on the state of the modern day christianity that a new christian may well assume that it is a religion full of self righteous, money loving hypocrites. I wouldn't blame anyone for coming away with this opinion, for this is often what we project to others. However, there is one excellent book out there that has been around for quite some time now that tells of a different view of christianity than we see today. This book is all about Gods love, grace, forgiveness and mercy. Some have called portions of this book "The Greatest Story Ever Told." If you guessed that I was talking about the bible, you'd be correct. My friend Chuck once described Gods word as his "Love Lettter" to us all. We see throughout scripture Gods love and mercy for his creation. In fact, God had even forseen the fact that mankind he created would eventually fall away from relationship with his creator, so he sent his son to bear the sins of all mankind.
So, knowing this to be true, what should our focus be? Shall we focus on what is wrong with the modern church, or should we instead be focusing on the message that our Lord has given to us. One thing that David told me rang true, WE KNOW that the church today has more than a few issues, institutions created by sinful man can never be perfect. So, instead of focusing on something that we cannot change, our focus should be on the one constant, Gods written word. As the scripture says, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, he DOES NOT CHANGE. I would guess the only thing about a church created by man that never changes is that, like it's builder, it is imperfect. It disturbs me that people see what is going on in the modern church and draw conclusions about all christians but, again, it's something we cannot change. These people all have access to Gods written word as we do. And there lies the truth, we can either choose to spend our time in Gods word, or we can stay on that merry-go-round and rehash the imperfections of the church. Thank you David.
~Scott~
! Corinthians 3: 3
My friend David brought something up to me this past week. Lately I've gotten in the habit of reading a good number of books out there that give due dillegance to pointing out the imperfections of our modern church. I admit that there are a few good books out there (Andrew Farley, Bill Perkins and Steve McVey to name a few) In fact, we have so many books out there among us on the state of the modern day christianity that a new christian may well assume that it is a religion full of self righteous, money loving hypocrites. I wouldn't blame anyone for coming away with this opinion, for this is often what we project to others. However, there is one excellent book out there that has been around for quite some time now that tells of a different view of christianity than we see today. This book is all about Gods love, grace, forgiveness and mercy. Some have called portions of this book "The Greatest Story Ever Told." If you guessed that I was talking about the bible, you'd be correct. My friend Chuck once described Gods word as his "Love Lettter" to us all. We see throughout scripture Gods love and mercy for his creation. In fact, God had even forseen the fact that mankind he created would eventually fall away from relationship with his creator, so he sent his son to bear the sins of all mankind.
So, knowing this to be true, what should our focus be? Shall we focus on what is wrong with the modern church, or should we instead be focusing on the message that our Lord has given to us. One thing that David told me rang true, WE KNOW that the church today has more than a few issues, institutions created by sinful man can never be perfect. So, instead of focusing on something that we cannot change, our focus should be on the one constant, Gods written word. As the scripture says, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, he DOES NOT CHANGE. I would guess the only thing about a church created by man that never changes is that, like it's builder, it is imperfect. It disturbs me that people see what is going on in the modern church and draw conclusions about all christians but, again, it's something we cannot change. These people all have access to Gods written word as we do. And there lies the truth, we can either choose to spend our time in Gods word, or we can stay on that merry-go-round and rehash the imperfections of the church. Thank you David.
~Scott~
Thursday, September 17, 2015
My Fathers Son
"Every generation, blames tthe one before, and all of their frustrations, come beating on your door. I know that I'm a prisoner to all my father held so dear, I know that I'm a hostage to all his hopes and fears. I just wish I could have told him, in the living years."
"The Living Years" Mike and the Mechanics
A big part of growing in our lives is to come to that point where our lives seperate from those of our parents. Face it, we may live 20-25 years in the company of, or under the influence of our mothers and/or fathers. Eventually, that bond is seperated and we strike out on our own to see what this world has in store for us. Although this is a natural process in any family, when it happens it can have good or bad consequences. Most of us have dreams of what we want to do with our lives, and this is often influenced by our parents. There's a reason our younger days are called our "formative" years, it's during these years that we are often molded into the person we will someday become. I was fortunate enough in my younger years to have been raised in a christian home. My mother was a very God fearing woman, and she strived to pass this on the her two boys. My faith and my belief if God I attribute to those years my mom read me bible stories and prayed with me. That was my mothers influence.
My dads influence during these years was a different story. My parents had divorced when I was young due to my fathers alchoholism and infidelity. My brother and I definately had two role models vying for our attention at times. Where my mother was a God fearing christian woman, my dad could not have been farther from the Lord. To my dad, it was normal for there to be open cans of beer around my grandmas house when we would visit. Well, naturaly the grandkids would eventualy come across a few. To my grandfather, this was just normal, but nothing made my mother more upset than the thought of her kids consuming alchohol at such a young age. From what I've been told, this led to many strong arguments between mom and dad.
Even though I grew up without having my dad as a big part of my life, his influence on my early years was still with me. Yes, I felt alot of pain because my dad was not in my life, but over the years I've come to see the background which he came out of. For their part, both of my parents had come out of some sort of abusive family relationships of their own, which may explain why they married so young. My dad had left home, joined the Navy and, upon completing his hitch, had hired on as a deputy sheriff in Minnesota.
I don't believe in generational curses. I believe we all follow the path that we choose for ourselves. Yes, God can have a big hand in the direction our lives take, but ultimately we choose the lives we live. We can choose to accept God and the freedom and salvation he offers us, or we can choose to go our own way. Good or bad, both of my parents had a powerful influence on the man I've become. If there is one thing that I long to say to my dad it's that I love and forgive him.
~Scott~
"The Living Years" Mike and the Mechanics
A big part of growing in our lives is to come to that point where our lives seperate from those of our parents. Face it, we may live 20-25 years in the company of, or under the influence of our mothers and/or fathers. Eventually, that bond is seperated and we strike out on our own to see what this world has in store for us. Although this is a natural process in any family, when it happens it can have good or bad consequences. Most of us have dreams of what we want to do with our lives, and this is often influenced by our parents. There's a reason our younger days are called our "formative" years, it's during these years that we are often molded into the person we will someday become. I was fortunate enough in my younger years to have been raised in a christian home. My mother was a very God fearing woman, and she strived to pass this on the her two boys. My faith and my belief if God I attribute to those years my mom read me bible stories and prayed with me. That was my mothers influence.
My dads influence during these years was a different story. My parents had divorced when I was young due to my fathers alchoholism and infidelity. My brother and I definately had two role models vying for our attention at times. Where my mother was a God fearing christian woman, my dad could not have been farther from the Lord. To my dad, it was normal for there to be open cans of beer around my grandmas house when we would visit. Well, naturaly the grandkids would eventualy come across a few. To my grandfather, this was just normal, but nothing made my mother more upset than the thought of her kids consuming alchohol at such a young age. From what I've been told, this led to many strong arguments between mom and dad.
Even though I grew up without having my dad as a big part of my life, his influence on my early years was still with me. Yes, I felt alot of pain because my dad was not in my life, but over the years I've come to see the background which he came out of. For their part, both of my parents had come out of some sort of abusive family relationships of their own, which may explain why they married so young. My dad had left home, joined the Navy and, upon completing his hitch, had hired on as a deputy sheriff in Minnesota.
I don't believe in generational curses. I believe we all follow the path that we choose for ourselves. Yes, God can have a big hand in the direction our lives take, but ultimately we choose the lives we live. We can choose to accept God and the freedom and salvation he offers us, or we can choose to go our own way. Good or bad, both of my parents had a powerful influence on the man I've become. If there is one thing that I long to say to my dad it's that I love and forgive him.
~Scott~
Monday, September 14, 2015
A Not So Glorious Ending
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of Good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, havinng a form of Godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Timothy 3: 1-7 NKJV
Each generation has had those who have forseen the downfall of society as we know it. Yet, so far it hasn't come about. Howver, I have definately seen a decline in the moral values and conduct of our nation in my lifetime. I may get more than a few arguments, but I see our current state of decline as coming to a head in the tumultuous decade of the 1960's. From the war in Vietnam to a generation born into civil disobedience and protest, the United States was rocked to it's social core. Add to that the assasinations of John and Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King and it's a wonder how our society was kept from the tipping point. It's no wonder that our senior citizens today have such fond memories of the "way things used to be" and such disdain for the way things are now. I know that reality TV has turned everyday life into entertainment, but imagine life in the 1960's and 70's when television brought the brutal images from the Vietnam war into American homes. Before there was any thought of a "Duck Dynasty" series, a man by the name of Abraham Zapruder stood by a roadside in Dallas, Texas to film the motorcade of President John Kennedy passing by. Before the day was through, Zapruders film would become the infamous witness to John Kennedys assasination. Not to be outdone, a few days later the nation would witness the live assasination of the man accused of Kennedys murder, Lee Harvey Oswald by Dallas club owner Jack Ruby. Perhaps this whirlwind series of events set in motion the events of the social upheaval to come. I'm sure there were people who imagined that life as we knew it was changing, they were right.
Growing up in the 1970's, I recall playing in our home in Virginia, Minnesota and hearing of something called "Watergate" on our television. When I asked my mom what Watergate was, she simply said "It's a hotel." Simple and to the point. At that age, I couldn't understand the changes that were happening around me. However, as the years went on, I realized the world was changing. Could we have predicted the downfall of our society? We didn't have to, scripture took care of that for us. Still, each generation feels that their world is ending. Although that is true, only God knows the timing of these events. One thing that is sure, these things MUST happen to fulfill what God has set in place. For now, those of us who are in Christ can be assured that we can anticipate something better to come.
~Scott~
2 Timothy 3: 1-7 NKJV
Each generation has had those who have forseen the downfall of society as we know it. Yet, so far it hasn't come about. Howver, I have definately seen a decline in the moral values and conduct of our nation in my lifetime. I may get more than a few arguments, but I see our current state of decline as coming to a head in the tumultuous decade of the 1960's. From the war in Vietnam to a generation born into civil disobedience and protest, the United States was rocked to it's social core. Add to that the assasinations of John and Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King and it's a wonder how our society was kept from the tipping point. It's no wonder that our senior citizens today have such fond memories of the "way things used to be" and such disdain for the way things are now. I know that reality TV has turned everyday life into entertainment, but imagine life in the 1960's and 70's when television brought the brutal images from the Vietnam war into American homes. Before there was any thought of a "Duck Dynasty" series, a man by the name of Abraham Zapruder stood by a roadside in Dallas, Texas to film the motorcade of President John Kennedy passing by. Before the day was through, Zapruders film would become the infamous witness to John Kennedys assasination. Not to be outdone, a few days later the nation would witness the live assasination of the man accused of Kennedys murder, Lee Harvey Oswald by Dallas club owner Jack Ruby. Perhaps this whirlwind series of events set in motion the events of the social upheaval to come. I'm sure there were people who imagined that life as we knew it was changing, they were right.
Growing up in the 1970's, I recall playing in our home in Virginia, Minnesota and hearing of something called "Watergate" on our television. When I asked my mom what Watergate was, she simply said "It's a hotel." Simple and to the point. At that age, I couldn't understand the changes that were happening around me. However, as the years went on, I realized the world was changing. Could we have predicted the downfall of our society? We didn't have to, scripture took care of that for us. Still, each generation feels that their world is ending. Although that is true, only God knows the timing of these events. One thing that is sure, these things MUST happen to fulfill what God has set in place. For now, those of us who are in Christ can be assured that we can anticipate something better to come.
~Scott~
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Voices
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
John 10: 27
My friend Dennis is pretty good about telling me to ignore those "voices" that are not from God. Lately this has usually meant to ignore those fears I have on one of our hiking trails, but I'm guessing that these voices could be anything telling us that we're unworthy, feeble, weak or don't in some way measure up. We can call them doubts, fears or apprehensions, and they almost always keep us from realizing who we really are. We can be sure of one thing, which is that these voices are probably not from Christ. If you have doubts about this, ask yourself when was the last time that Jesus put you down, that's just not in his nature. I've mentioned the story that Dennis has related to me recently of a man being under a ruthless lord. One day the evil tyrant is overthrown and a new king is installed, releasing the man from torment. However, despite being overthrown and ejected from the castle, the former tyrants minions continue to show up at the wall of the castle and proclaim "We STILL own this castle, you're still ours!" Can you see the parallels here? We can easily fill in the religious storyline.
On that day that Jesus gave his life for us on the cross, satan lost any and all rights he may have had to us. That battle has been waged, and won, long ago. In our hearts we know this to be true, and yet we till listen to those voices of the former tyrant.
"The definition of insanity is repeating the same behaviors and expecting a different outcome."
Albert Einstein
So, I guess it's safe to say that listening to those negative voices and still expecting things to improve is, well, insane! I can't name one place in scripture where Jesus intentionally berated someone just to make them feel worthless. Well, there were those tirades against the Jewish religious leaders of the day, but I'm guessing that was Christs' anger at their behavior. It's a far cry from callling a misbehaving, self righteous group of people a "Brood of vipers" to telling someone that they are unworthy. Jesus was pointing out the wrong behavior of the Jewish leaders, not putting them down. In fact, the times when Jesus did come across someone who was in pain or hurting, his main focus was mercy and comfort. So, if we can agree that the voice of Jesus, of the holy spirit, is one of mercy and kindness, then who do the voices of those pesky "minions" belong to? Well, I think it's safe to say they don't belong to our savior.
I know it sounds silly, but when Dennis told me this story, it took me awhile to catch on. I know why he used that illustration, to make the point perfectly, which he did. Dennis, this explainns the blank look on my face that Sunday morning as we talked. It's easy to see now, that satan was the tyranical former lord who kept us in submission for so long. Despite being overthrown by the resurection of Jesus, he continues to tell us that he's still in charge. To me, it's false advertising at it's best.
~Scott~
John 10: 27
My friend Dennis is pretty good about telling me to ignore those "voices" that are not from God. Lately this has usually meant to ignore those fears I have on one of our hiking trails, but I'm guessing that these voices could be anything telling us that we're unworthy, feeble, weak or don't in some way measure up. We can call them doubts, fears or apprehensions, and they almost always keep us from realizing who we really are. We can be sure of one thing, which is that these voices are probably not from Christ. If you have doubts about this, ask yourself when was the last time that Jesus put you down, that's just not in his nature. I've mentioned the story that Dennis has related to me recently of a man being under a ruthless lord. One day the evil tyrant is overthrown and a new king is installed, releasing the man from torment. However, despite being overthrown and ejected from the castle, the former tyrants minions continue to show up at the wall of the castle and proclaim "We STILL own this castle, you're still ours!" Can you see the parallels here? We can easily fill in the religious storyline.
On that day that Jesus gave his life for us on the cross, satan lost any and all rights he may have had to us. That battle has been waged, and won, long ago. In our hearts we know this to be true, and yet we till listen to those voices of the former tyrant.
"The definition of insanity is repeating the same behaviors and expecting a different outcome."
Albert Einstein
So, I guess it's safe to say that listening to those negative voices and still expecting things to improve is, well, insane! I can't name one place in scripture where Jesus intentionally berated someone just to make them feel worthless. Well, there were those tirades against the Jewish religious leaders of the day, but I'm guessing that was Christs' anger at their behavior. It's a far cry from callling a misbehaving, self righteous group of people a "Brood of vipers" to telling someone that they are unworthy. Jesus was pointing out the wrong behavior of the Jewish leaders, not putting them down. In fact, the times when Jesus did come across someone who was in pain or hurting, his main focus was mercy and comfort. So, if we can agree that the voice of Jesus, of the holy spirit, is one of mercy and kindness, then who do the voices of those pesky "minions" belong to? Well, I think it's safe to say they don't belong to our savior.
I know it sounds silly, but when Dennis told me this story, it took me awhile to catch on. I know why he used that illustration, to make the point perfectly, which he did. Dennis, this explainns the blank look on my face that Sunday morning as we talked. It's easy to see now, that satan was the tyranical former lord who kept us in submission for so long. Despite being overthrown by the resurection of Jesus, he continues to tell us that he's still in charge. To me, it's false advertising at it's best.
~Scott~
Selective Hearing
Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did ot know him.
Luke 24: 13-16 NKJV
There have been many times when I could have identified with the men in this scripture. Like the disciples walkiing the road to Emmaus that day, the voice of my Lord Jesus has fallen on deaf ears. Sure, I know he walks with me, but do I listen to him? What does it take to hear the voice of Jesus? Is it as simple as any normal conversation with a friend? My friend David has often told me that one of the best ways to hear Gods voice is to be in his word. I agree with that, as God can often speak to us through his word as we read it. I can't think of anyone besides a hardened aetheist who wouldn't want to have a heart to heart conversation with Jesus. Even then, eventually he may end up talking with God. I have to say, there have been times when I have felt I've heard the voice of my savior. Granted, it's a internal conversation, but I knew it was him speaking.
Each one of us, if we know Christ, has the Holy Spirit within us. If Jesus abides within us, and scripture is pretty clear about this, then I believe that we can freely communicate with him. However, just as the eyes and ears of the disciples were "restrained" on the road to Emmaus that day, can our eyes and ears be restrained as well?
Then he said to them, "O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the pprophets have spoken! "Ought not the Christ to hhave suffered these things and to enter into his glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luke 24:: 25-27 NKJV
Now these men walking to Emmaus, their senses restored, at last recognise their risen Lord. Instead of selective hearing on the part of the disciples, I believe this was a teaching opportunity for those who still did not believe that Jesus had, as he predicted numerous times, risen from the dead. So, where does that leave us today for those who believe in Jesus? If we believe that he is indeed in us, then he is close enough that we may hear his voice. One advantage we may have over those men walking to Emmaus, is that we KNOW that Jesus is risen.
~Scott~
Luke 24: 13-16 NKJV
There have been many times when I could have identified with the men in this scripture. Like the disciples walkiing the road to Emmaus that day, the voice of my Lord Jesus has fallen on deaf ears. Sure, I know he walks with me, but do I listen to him? What does it take to hear the voice of Jesus? Is it as simple as any normal conversation with a friend? My friend David has often told me that one of the best ways to hear Gods voice is to be in his word. I agree with that, as God can often speak to us through his word as we read it. I can't think of anyone besides a hardened aetheist who wouldn't want to have a heart to heart conversation with Jesus. Even then, eventually he may end up talking with God. I have to say, there have been times when I have felt I've heard the voice of my savior. Granted, it's a internal conversation, but I knew it was him speaking.
Each one of us, if we know Christ, has the Holy Spirit within us. If Jesus abides within us, and scripture is pretty clear about this, then I believe that we can freely communicate with him. However, just as the eyes and ears of the disciples were "restrained" on the road to Emmaus that day, can our eyes and ears be restrained as well?
Then he said to them, "O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the pprophets have spoken! "Ought not the Christ to hhave suffered these things and to enter into his glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luke 24:: 25-27 NKJV
Now these men walking to Emmaus, their senses restored, at last recognise their risen Lord. Instead of selective hearing on the part of the disciples, I believe this was a teaching opportunity for those who still did not believe that Jesus had, as he predicted numerous times, risen from the dead. So, where does that leave us today for those who believe in Jesus? If we believe that he is indeed in us, then he is close enough that we may hear his voice. One advantage we may have over those men walking to Emmaus, is that we KNOW that Jesus is risen.
~Scott~
Friday, September 11, 2015
Is Proof Required?
"Do you not believe that I am in the father, and the father in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the father who dwells in me does the works. "Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me, or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves."
John 14: 10-11 NKJV
What would it take for you to believe in Jesus? We have Gods written word that Jesus is the risen son of God, but not everyone believes. Heck, even a few of his trusted disciples had trouble believing this truth, and they were with Jesus every day! Thomas would not believe his Lord had risen until he had physical proof, seeing the wounds Christ had suffered. Peter, the "Rock" on which the church wouuld be built, foundered when Jesus welcomed him to walk on water with him. If that weren't enough, Peter added to that by denying Jesus at his darkest hour. Through all of this, Jesus did not waver in his love for those around him, or for us.
We love him because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19 NKJV
Now, like many people, I've had difficulty seeing who Jesus truly was in my younger years. I guess I can identify with Thomas, I only believed what I could physically see in front of me. Wait, I knew through scripture that Jesus was real, but where was he? When I was in trouble or hurting, he wasn't there beside me comforting me. Yet, in my heart I knew that he was with me. Did I need proof that God was there with me? Can we believe in something unseen? I'd venture to say yes, since most of mankinds attempts at organized religions and "spiritual" movements have all been based on believing in things unseen. So, that being said, why is it so hard at times to believe in Jesus? I mean, we have the same written proof that other religions have right? For example, Islam has the written Quran, and yet it seems that people more readily believe that there may be a "Alah" than a living God. Sort of confusing huh? Like I said, I was one who was more prone to believe in something that was right in front of my face than in something I had been told was true.
My friend David has asked me on more than a few occasions why I believe in Jesus and it frustrates the hell out of me! Sorry David :) My answers are usually along the lines of...I'm a christian, the Bible tells me so, I just know. However, I realize he has a unique motivation for asking me this question. See, he wants me to be able to explain to someone else why it is I believe. I get it, how can we possibly tell someone else about Jesus unless we know in our hearts that he's real? Something I've dabbled in occasionaly is to write a journal of my daily activities. Journaling is a excellent way to look back and see where God has been walking beside us. As we turn the pages of our daily lives, we can read where it is we prayed, and where it was that God answered our prayers. One thing that David has also told me is how powerful a tool our testimonies can be in communicating Jesus to someone. I can agree with this. By sharing how God has worked in our lives we can develop a connection with someone more intimate than any Sunday sermon. I'd often prefer to hear how God has worked in someones life than to sit through a sermon. It's these connections that ultimately lead to a deeper fellowship. If we need proof of Gods existance, then talk with someone who he's walked through the trials of life with.
~Scott~
John 14: 10-11 NKJV
What would it take for you to believe in Jesus? We have Gods written word that Jesus is the risen son of God, but not everyone believes. Heck, even a few of his trusted disciples had trouble believing this truth, and they were with Jesus every day! Thomas would not believe his Lord had risen until he had physical proof, seeing the wounds Christ had suffered. Peter, the "Rock" on which the church wouuld be built, foundered when Jesus welcomed him to walk on water with him. If that weren't enough, Peter added to that by denying Jesus at his darkest hour. Through all of this, Jesus did not waver in his love for those around him, or for us.
We love him because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19 NKJV
Now, like many people, I've had difficulty seeing who Jesus truly was in my younger years. I guess I can identify with Thomas, I only believed what I could physically see in front of me. Wait, I knew through scripture that Jesus was real, but where was he? When I was in trouble or hurting, he wasn't there beside me comforting me. Yet, in my heart I knew that he was with me. Did I need proof that God was there with me? Can we believe in something unseen? I'd venture to say yes, since most of mankinds attempts at organized religions and "spiritual" movements have all been based on believing in things unseen. So, that being said, why is it so hard at times to believe in Jesus? I mean, we have the same written proof that other religions have right? For example, Islam has the written Quran, and yet it seems that people more readily believe that there may be a "Alah" than a living God. Sort of confusing huh? Like I said, I was one who was more prone to believe in something that was right in front of my face than in something I had been told was true.
My friend David has asked me on more than a few occasions why I believe in Jesus and it frustrates the hell out of me! Sorry David :) My answers are usually along the lines of...I'm a christian, the Bible tells me so, I just know. However, I realize he has a unique motivation for asking me this question. See, he wants me to be able to explain to someone else why it is I believe. I get it, how can we possibly tell someone else about Jesus unless we know in our hearts that he's real? Something I've dabbled in occasionaly is to write a journal of my daily activities. Journaling is a excellent way to look back and see where God has been walking beside us. As we turn the pages of our daily lives, we can read where it is we prayed, and where it was that God answered our prayers. One thing that David has also told me is how powerful a tool our testimonies can be in communicating Jesus to someone. I can agree with this. By sharing how God has worked in our lives we can develop a connection with someone more intimate than any Sunday sermon. I'd often prefer to hear how God has worked in someones life than to sit through a sermon. It's these connections that ultimately lead to a deeper fellowship. If we need proof of Gods existance, then talk with someone who he's walked through the trials of life with.
~Scott~
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Church Business
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Matthew 6:24 NKJV
Mammon ~ Wealth regarded as an evil influence of a false object of worship or devotion.
Can a church be truly self sufficent? I think so, but then I come across the scripture in Matthew 6:24 and I start to wonder. Yes, I believe that a church can be financialy self sufficient, as well as Gods church being self sufficient. What are the financial obligations of the modern church? Feeding the poor? Helping the homeless and those less fortunate? Those basic obligations I am in agreement with as this follows scripture of helping those in need. However, the modern church seems to have gotten away from the basics. We've all seem them on weekly TV sermons or radio broadcasts in what seems like a endless request for donations to one mega church or another.
"Well I see him on the TV, preaching bout' the promised land. He tells me believe in Jesus, then steals the money from my hands."
~Something To Believe In ~ Poison
Now, this may beg the question, can a church be TOO big? I can recall the downfall of a few noteable media pastors who ultimately fell victim to the dreaded "Mammon." Jerry Falwell and Jim Baker are two that come to mind. Of course, it never fails that when one of these mega church pastors falls, the public is quick to point out the hypocracy of all christians. To some extent they may be right. I mean, so many churches have become so large that 3 worship services on Sunday barely can accomadate the congregation. Of course, as the church grows, the facilities needed often grow with it, which often leads to greater church financial obligations as well. Before long, the church is bleeding more money into facilities and staff than into helping those in need. Oh, those hypocritical christians! How big does a church need to be? Do we even need a church building? Personaly, I feel that God can be worshiped anywhere in his creation. Can we replace a large fancy church with a gathering of people in a quiet meadow on a Sunday morning? ABSOLUTELY! Whether people will engage in this idea is another question. I'm of the opinion that many would. What would christianity be without so many large, ornate places of worship? More than likely in a better position to help those around them in need. My friend David once told me of a church he visited that NEVER asked for tithes on Sunday morning. Instead, there was a simple offering box in the church foyer where people could give. Interestingly enough, the church is still going strong. Kind of gives affirmation to "God will provide." If we dare use the passage in Matthew 6:24 as a litmus test for how we do church today, we may find we're more able to direct Gods blessings to those who need it.
~Scott~
Matthew 6:24 NKJV
Mammon ~ Wealth regarded as an evil influence of a false object of worship or devotion.
Can a church be truly self sufficent? I think so, but then I come across the scripture in Matthew 6:24 and I start to wonder. Yes, I believe that a church can be financialy self sufficient, as well as Gods church being self sufficient. What are the financial obligations of the modern church? Feeding the poor? Helping the homeless and those less fortunate? Those basic obligations I am in agreement with as this follows scripture of helping those in need. However, the modern church seems to have gotten away from the basics. We've all seem them on weekly TV sermons or radio broadcasts in what seems like a endless request for donations to one mega church or another.
"Well I see him on the TV, preaching bout' the promised land. He tells me believe in Jesus, then steals the money from my hands."
~Something To Believe In ~ Poison
Now, this may beg the question, can a church be TOO big? I can recall the downfall of a few noteable media pastors who ultimately fell victim to the dreaded "Mammon." Jerry Falwell and Jim Baker are two that come to mind. Of course, it never fails that when one of these mega church pastors falls, the public is quick to point out the hypocracy of all christians. To some extent they may be right. I mean, so many churches have become so large that 3 worship services on Sunday barely can accomadate the congregation. Of course, as the church grows, the facilities needed often grow with it, which often leads to greater church financial obligations as well. Before long, the church is bleeding more money into facilities and staff than into helping those in need. Oh, those hypocritical christians! How big does a church need to be? Do we even need a church building? Personaly, I feel that God can be worshiped anywhere in his creation. Can we replace a large fancy church with a gathering of people in a quiet meadow on a Sunday morning? ABSOLUTELY! Whether people will engage in this idea is another question. I'm of the opinion that many would. What would christianity be without so many large, ornate places of worship? More than likely in a better position to help those around them in need. My friend David once told me of a church he visited that NEVER asked for tithes on Sunday morning. Instead, there was a simple offering box in the church foyer where people could give. Interestingly enough, the church is still going strong. Kind of gives affirmation to "God will provide." If we dare use the passage in Matthew 6:24 as a litmus test for how we do church today, we may find we're more able to direct Gods blessings to those who need it.
~Scott~
Monday, September 7, 2015
Judgement Day
"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."
Matthew 7: 1-2 NKJV
So, here's yet another lesson that I can learn. There are people out there who sorely deserve the justice of the Lord. Shall we start by pointing them out for him? Bosses, landlords, ex wives and friends? Let's make a list of all the people who have wronged us in the past and hand it over to God. Surely he will avenge us and our lives will be 100% better as a result...right? I mean, doesn't scripture say to leave revenge to God? So, let's just help him out and point out a few evil doers who deserve his wrath. There's nothing wrong with that, right? Wait, using that logic, what if you and I were on someone elses revenge list? No longer would the people we are having difficulty with be worthy of revenge, but we would also! Maybe there is something to these words spoken by Jesus in Matthew 7. After all, isn't God a WAY better judge than we are? If we had our own way, we'd have lightning bolts striking down half the worlds population. Where would Gods grace and mercy be then? I've often wondered what Gods grace would be like if he treated his children the same way we treat each other. I've got a feeling that there wouldn't be too many people left in the world. In fact, mankind may not have made it out of the Garden of Eden intact. I'm inclined to accept things the way God set them up. Who knows how many revenge lists I'm already on.
~Scott~
Matthew 7: 1-2 NKJV
So, here's yet another lesson that I can learn. There are people out there who sorely deserve the justice of the Lord. Shall we start by pointing them out for him? Bosses, landlords, ex wives and friends? Let's make a list of all the people who have wronged us in the past and hand it over to God. Surely he will avenge us and our lives will be 100% better as a result...right? I mean, doesn't scripture say to leave revenge to God? So, let's just help him out and point out a few evil doers who deserve his wrath. There's nothing wrong with that, right? Wait, using that logic, what if you and I were on someone elses revenge list? No longer would the people we are having difficulty with be worthy of revenge, but we would also! Maybe there is something to these words spoken by Jesus in Matthew 7. After all, isn't God a WAY better judge than we are? If we had our own way, we'd have lightning bolts striking down half the worlds population. Where would Gods grace and mercy be then? I've often wondered what Gods grace would be like if he treated his children the same way we treat each other. I've got a feeling that there wouldn't be too many people left in the world. In fact, mankind may not have made it out of the Garden of Eden intact. I'm inclined to accept things the way God set them up. Who knows how many revenge lists I'm already on.
~Scott~
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Get Out Of My Comfort Zone!
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.
Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10
My friend David is always good for reminding me of this, and I am blessed for it. "Get out of your comfort zone!" he'll tell me. By this, he usually means that I need to get out there and meet people. See, in my "comfort zone" I'm perfectly fine to just be by myself and deal with life as it comes. That's fine for someone who is a hermit stuck in the back woods of Duck Dynasty, but not so good for someone who wants companionship or, in my case, marriage at some point. Yeah, being a loner can be a deal breaker to both of those situations. I envy those that can easily engage people they come across in daily life, David is one of those people. I'm not sure how it began, but I think I've always been pretty overly shy, until recently. With the help of David and a few other friends, I've learned to get out of my shell and engage other people. However, it's a "Baby step" process and my work continues. Not many people can relate to a situation where someone is literaly paralyzed with fear when faced with interacting with other people, but that's how I was for a LONG time. I cringe at the thought that I have something of a social disorder, who needs more problems in their life? No, I think I can trace most of these fears back to when I was growing up. Raised in a single parent household, I was sheltered for the most part. Sure, I had my friends that I spent a good deal of time with, but other than that I was a loner in sorts. Now, I COULD have reached out and broken out of this at any point in my life, but I didn't. Therefore, it wasn't the Government, aliens, Al Gore or any other lame excuse that kept me from getting out of my comfort zone, it was ME! For the most part, I was never forced to break out of the comfort zone that I had created for myself. Add to that some huge self confidence issues and it was better for me to stay within comfort zone than to reach out to others. See, as you may have noticed, people can be a cruel lot and say hurtful things. By avoiding interaction with others, I would avoid the pain inflicted by their words, but I also avoided that opportunity of creating more friendships. Who knows how many good relationships I could have developed. The funny thing is, by avoiding others, I was exhibiting the very same behavior to others that I feared they would do to me. Kind of like I was my own worst enemy huh? Did avoiding others save me from the pain inflicted by other people as I had hoped? Nope. I know that God does not want us to avoid relationships with others, there's plenty of scripture to back that up. With the help of my good friends David, Dennis, Kevin and Chuck, all Godly men, I've started to break out of that isolation. Slowly but surely, the shell is breaking.
~Scott~
Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10
My friend David is always good for reminding me of this, and I am blessed for it. "Get out of your comfort zone!" he'll tell me. By this, he usually means that I need to get out there and meet people. See, in my "comfort zone" I'm perfectly fine to just be by myself and deal with life as it comes. That's fine for someone who is a hermit stuck in the back woods of Duck Dynasty, but not so good for someone who wants companionship or, in my case, marriage at some point. Yeah, being a loner can be a deal breaker to both of those situations. I envy those that can easily engage people they come across in daily life, David is one of those people. I'm not sure how it began, but I think I've always been pretty overly shy, until recently. With the help of David and a few other friends, I've learned to get out of my shell and engage other people. However, it's a "Baby step" process and my work continues. Not many people can relate to a situation where someone is literaly paralyzed with fear when faced with interacting with other people, but that's how I was for a LONG time. I cringe at the thought that I have something of a social disorder, who needs more problems in their life? No, I think I can trace most of these fears back to when I was growing up. Raised in a single parent household, I was sheltered for the most part. Sure, I had my friends that I spent a good deal of time with, but other than that I was a loner in sorts. Now, I COULD have reached out and broken out of this at any point in my life, but I didn't. Therefore, it wasn't the Government, aliens, Al Gore or any other lame excuse that kept me from getting out of my comfort zone, it was ME! For the most part, I was never forced to break out of the comfort zone that I had created for myself. Add to that some huge self confidence issues and it was better for me to stay within comfort zone than to reach out to others. See, as you may have noticed, people can be a cruel lot and say hurtful things. By avoiding interaction with others, I would avoid the pain inflicted by their words, but I also avoided that opportunity of creating more friendships. Who knows how many good relationships I could have developed. The funny thing is, by avoiding others, I was exhibiting the very same behavior to others that I feared they would do to me. Kind of like I was my own worst enemy huh? Did avoiding others save me from the pain inflicted by other people as I had hoped? Nope. I know that God does not want us to avoid relationships with others, there's plenty of scripture to back that up. With the help of my good friends David, Dennis, Kevin and Chuck, all Godly men, I've started to break out of that isolation. Slowly but surely, the shell is breaking.
~Scott~
A Good Friend I Never Knew
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In my fathers house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know."
John 14: 1-4 NKJV
Mark Larimore passed away yesterday, Saturday September 5th after a battle with Leukemia. Mark was a coworker whom I had known for more than a few years off and on. I considered him a good man, not a friend necessarily. Sometimes it's hard in work relationships to take that chance and open up to someone and get to know them. Mark wasn't afraid to do this, I was. In retrospect, I wonder how different both of our lives would have been had I chosen to develop that friendship. I know in my heart that I would have a better man for it. As with many things, it is our pride that hinders us from reaching out at times. Still, despite not knowing him all too well, I knew him enough to see his charachter each day. He was not afraid to offer assistance to anyone in need, that was just who he was. There were more than a few times when a customer compliment would come in mentioning something helpful Mark had done, although his usual response was to downplay the situation as him "Just doing his job." Maybe it was his humbleness that drew in those around him. Despite the demands that his job created, he always took the time to talk with people he met in the field. Working in a Government agency capacity, we are usually very hesitant to engage ANYONE in conversation during our work shift. This is one of the things that made Mark different, and something I wish we all could emulate. To see someone in need, to not be afraid to reach out, that was Mark. I chafffed at the fact that there were times people in our work group would criticize Mark for not being afraid to do work that was assigned to other people. See, they felt that his efforts would bring attention to them, which to someone else was a bad thing. However, Mark NEVER did something to make others look bad, doing what he could to help was his motivation.
I will always remember a conversation I had with Mark a few years back. Somehow our conversation had turned to Jesus and the joys of following him. This is the first time I ever knew Mark to be a christian, as this is something we rarely talk about on the job. I remember seeing his happiness as he talked of the new life he had in Christ. I know that he was doing his best to reconcile a relationship with his son Cody, and talked about him often. My prayers are with Mark and his family. I wish that I had been a better friend. He will be missed.
~Scott~
John 14: 1-4 NKJV
Mark Larimore passed away yesterday, Saturday September 5th after a battle with Leukemia. Mark was a coworker whom I had known for more than a few years off and on. I considered him a good man, not a friend necessarily. Sometimes it's hard in work relationships to take that chance and open up to someone and get to know them. Mark wasn't afraid to do this, I was. In retrospect, I wonder how different both of our lives would have been had I chosen to develop that friendship. I know in my heart that I would have a better man for it. As with many things, it is our pride that hinders us from reaching out at times. Still, despite not knowing him all too well, I knew him enough to see his charachter each day. He was not afraid to offer assistance to anyone in need, that was just who he was. There were more than a few times when a customer compliment would come in mentioning something helpful Mark had done, although his usual response was to downplay the situation as him "Just doing his job." Maybe it was his humbleness that drew in those around him. Despite the demands that his job created, he always took the time to talk with people he met in the field. Working in a Government agency capacity, we are usually very hesitant to engage ANYONE in conversation during our work shift. This is one of the things that made Mark different, and something I wish we all could emulate. To see someone in need, to not be afraid to reach out, that was Mark. I chafffed at the fact that there were times people in our work group would criticize Mark for not being afraid to do work that was assigned to other people. See, they felt that his efforts would bring attention to them, which to someone else was a bad thing. However, Mark NEVER did something to make others look bad, doing what he could to help was his motivation.
I will always remember a conversation I had with Mark a few years back. Somehow our conversation had turned to Jesus and the joys of following him. This is the first time I ever knew Mark to be a christian, as this is something we rarely talk about on the job. I remember seeing his happiness as he talked of the new life he had in Christ. I know that he was doing his best to reconcile a relationship with his son Cody, and talked about him often. My prayers are with Mark and his family. I wish that I had been a better friend. He will be missed.
~Scott~
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Through A Childs Eyes
Then Jesus called a little child to him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. "Whoever receives one little child like this in my name receives me. "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
Matthew 18: 2-6 NKJV
Something that many people know, is that little children are VERY trusting of those around them. In fact, as part of growing up, parents need to show children who AND what they can trust to protect their children from the world around them. Despite this, kids are going to learn alot on their own, kind of a trial and error system. Yes, despite all the best efforts of loving parents, children will eventually strike out on their own to discover what's out there. We can scold them, dicipline them and pray for them (hopefully we all do that) but that independent spirit which is in us all will eventually seek to discover. I mention all of this to make the point that perhaps Jesus was trying to teach in Matthew 18. We know that young children are very trusting and believing in those around them. It is this blind faith, if you will, that I believe Jesus was refering to when he instructed those who were listening to "Become as little children." One of the greatest, and humbling, experiences I've had in ministry was to assist in teaching a childrens Sunday school class. These were not adults who would nod off in the middle of a sermon, these kids were genuinely excited to learn about Jesus. Honestly, I've never met a adult who has showed that much excitement in God. Why is that? Why are little children so eager to learn about Jesus? Well, besides the fact that they easily teachable at that age, they trust those who are teaching them. At least that's been my experience. Oh, to be like a child, to hear those teachings about Jesus for the very first time. Many of us can still recall our own Sunday school songs and stories. Can we open our hearts wide enough to accept the good news and relationship with Jesus as enthusiasticly as a child?
~Scott~
Matthew 18: 2-6 NKJV
Something that many people know, is that little children are VERY trusting of those around them. In fact, as part of growing up, parents need to show children who AND what they can trust to protect their children from the world around them. Despite this, kids are going to learn alot on their own, kind of a trial and error system. Yes, despite all the best efforts of loving parents, children will eventually strike out on their own to discover what's out there. We can scold them, dicipline them and pray for them (hopefully we all do that) but that independent spirit which is in us all will eventually seek to discover. I mention all of this to make the point that perhaps Jesus was trying to teach in Matthew 18. We know that young children are very trusting and believing in those around them. It is this blind faith, if you will, that I believe Jesus was refering to when he instructed those who were listening to "Become as little children." One of the greatest, and humbling, experiences I've had in ministry was to assist in teaching a childrens Sunday school class. These were not adults who would nod off in the middle of a sermon, these kids were genuinely excited to learn about Jesus. Honestly, I've never met a adult who has showed that much excitement in God. Why is that? Why are little children so eager to learn about Jesus? Well, besides the fact that they easily teachable at that age, they trust those who are teaching them. At least that's been my experience. Oh, to be like a child, to hear those teachings about Jesus for the very first time. Many of us can still recall our own Sunday school songs and stories. Can we open our hearts wide enough to accept the good news and relationship with Jesus as enthusiasticly as a child?
~Scott~
Religiosity
"RELIGIOSITY, in its broadest sense, is a comprehensive sociological term used to refer to the numerous aspects of religious activity, dedication, and belief (religious doctrine). Another term that would work equally well, though less often used, is religiousness.
~Wikipedia~
Religiosity, quite honestly, is a term that I've heard thrown about but never really knew the definition to. Thankfully Wikipedia, the online know it all dictionary saved me from having to fork out $8 for a Kindle edition of Websters dictionary, I'll send a thank you card later. Now, I've been unfortunate enough to hear Television icons John Stewart and Bill Maher bad mouth christianity from time to time, as well as other political and entertainment figures.
"Religion is dangerous because it allows human being being who don't have all the answers to think that they do."
Bill Maher
Obviously, this guy has a grudge against religion, or he's just trying to sell whatever show he is currently hosting. But, wait, what if there was something to his rants? I mean, I've heard other people comment negatively about religion in the past as well. Not all were aetheists, some were christians and catholics that I knew were faithfull. What is it that would lead a lifelong faithfull christian to suddenly give up the trappings of the religion they follow? Well, there lies the point. Enter the term "Religiosity" and one may begin to understand some of the frustration people feel towards religion, not just christianity. I've long dissaproved the Catholic religion due to the ceremony and false worship (The Virgin Mary...Really?) However, I think I was blindsided by this issue. While I was villifying the Catholic folks, I didnt realize that maybe christians had their faults as well. See, the "christian" churches that I attended had just as many ceremonies as the catholics did. Yet, alot of us considered ourselves to be better than most catholics, myself included. I'm thinking this was not part of Jesus' "Love your neighbor as yourself" teaching.
So, is the God of the bible a God of ceremony?
"For I desire mercy and not sacrafice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."
Hosea 6:6
Clearly, here God was not seeking some religious ceremony, but mercy towards others. This begs the question, where did the religious ceremonies come from? Well, in conversations with my friend Dennis, I'm thinking they are a mixture of biblical and man made ceremonies. Sure, people in Old Testament times were called to offer sacrafices for the sins of the people, but that was before Jesus' death on the cross. So, like most things man gets his hands on, we've kind of put our own spin on things. Are people really disapointed with religion, or are we just tired of the rules and regulations brought forth by following rituals? Well, since there is no shortage of people coming back to a church they've left in hopes that things have changed, I'd say there is still a desire out there to seek out God.
~Scott~
Friday, September 4, 2015
What Is Our Motivation?
"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your father in heaven."
Matthew 6:1 NKJV
I've always believed that you can tell alot about a person by how they treat those less fortunate than themselves. These days, it seems that there are more people in poverty than ever before. There are numerous opportunities in Churches and in our communities to help those in need. While this in itself is a wonderful idea, I often wonder what our motivation is for helping someone in need. We don't need to venture far from home before we see someone standing on a street corner seeking help. From most of the signs they write out, most of them are willing to work. When I was younger, my mother struggled financialy while supporting my brother and I. There were times when people would help her financialy, but perhaps I was too young to realize her situation. All I could see was that she always provided for us, even though she received help along the way. Most of the time when others would help out, they would do it privately, and I never understood that until my later years. There were a few times when people would help, but would bring attention to themselves while offering it. Although my mother was grateful for the assistance, I could see she felt uncomfortable in how it was offered. I can give two examples of this that I can remember.
I remember one Christmas season that was especially tough on our family. For anyone who has spent time in Minnesota, you know how harsh the winters can be. I remember this winter as being pretty difficult. Of course, kids like the snow, school closures and playing outdoors, but if you need to get around town in these conditions it's not advisable for the faint of heart. As I remember, the usual temperature was somewhere around 10-15 degrees during the day and in the minus 20 degree range at night. Oh, and the windchill would lower those temperatures by another 20-30 degrees! We called that lake effect weather. In the middle of all of this weather chaos, my mother struggled to raise two kids while relying on public transportation. I could tell even back then that her heart was breaking as she realized that Christmas would not be very cheerful for my brother and I. One afternoon there was a knock on the door. I remember my mom talking briefly to a man, then closing the door and crying. This man, this samaritan had come to our door and when my mother answered he asked "Mrs. Wakefield?" Not sure of his intentions, my mom was taken aback I'm guessing. However, his intentions were soon realized as what could only be seen by her as a answer to her prayers. The man handed my mom a envelope, saying "This is for you and the boys" and left as quickly as he arrived. There was nobody else around, obviously, to notice his charitable deed. Needless to say, my mother believed that God had moved through this unknown person.
Driving home the other day I came across a raggedy looking man standing beside the road holding a sign. I obviously knew that this guy was in need, or at least that was what my heart was telling me. As I drove by I stopped and gave him $5 wished him luck and went on my way. He obviously appreciated the assistance as he smiled. I guess the sign he was holding was a creative way to get assistance..."Travelin bloke, out of work and broke, got any work? I'll do it, NO JOKE."
~Scott~
Leadership
I lost count of how many times I've seen it happen. Eventually someone in church leadership somewhere is going to fall from grace. Should we be surprised when this happens? I would say no, as we are all born into sin and everyone eventually fallls short, even pastors and church leaders. Still, we remain shocked when a church leader does fall short. Of course, it's been my assumption for some time that our modern day society rather enjoys seeing celebrities and people in leadeship positions fall into scandals. That's just the state of the world around us as we know it. So, knowing this, why would someone even aspire to leadership in the church? If it's understood that many of the decisions you make will be under a microscope of scrutiny, then one may be better prepared I'm thinking.
People, be it in church or not, look to those in leadership for guidance and a sense of stability. A few of the catch phrases from the 1960's protest movement were "Don't trust anyone over 30,' and "question authority!" Whatever side of the political aisle you're on, we all have pretty strong feelings of what was the turmoil of the 60's. However, something interesting happened coming out of the 1960's. The 1970's saw a huge wave of people returning to the church in large numbers. It's my belief that people were tired of the chaos of the 1960's and were looking for answers. Think about it, our nation had been exposed to a deadly war in Vietnam, racial tension, political assasinations and a rise in violent crime, something had to give. Perhaps it was God who nudged his children back in the right direction? Whatever it was, it worked, for a time.
Scripture gives us pretty good guidelines for those seeking leadership in the church.
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)
1 Timothy 3: 1-5 NKJV
Sound like a high standard? It is, but considering the responsibilies of the job, it's warranted. Those who shepherd Gods flock must be "above reproach." Their duty is to teach and guide the people. Now, knowing this, remember that we are ALL sinners and fall short of God's grace. The list of requirements given to us in first Timothy may seem to some to be unatainable. There is a saying I've heard somewhere that holds true in this situation, "Heavy weighs the head that wears the crown." Along with the behavior and moral standards of a church leader comes the responsibility of shepherding Gods people. THAT is a huge undertaking for anyone.
~Scott~
People, be it in church or not, look to those in leadership for guidance and a sense of stability. A few of the catch phrases from the 1960's protest movement were "Don't trust anyone over 30,' and "question authority!" Whatever side of the political aisle you're on, we all have pretty strong feelings of what was the turmoil of the 60's. However, something interesting happened coming out of the 1960's. The 1970's saw a huge wave of people returning to the church in large numbers. It's my belief that people were tired of the chaos of the 1960's and were looking for answers. Think about it, our nation had been exposed to a deadly war in Vietnam, racial tension, political assasinations and a rise in violent crime, something had to give. Perhaps it was God who nudged his children back in the right direction? Whatever it was, it worked, for a time.
Scripture gives us pretty good guidelines for those seeking leadership in the church.
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)
1 Timothy 3: 1-5 NKJV
Sound like a high standard? It is, but considering the responsibilies of the job, it's warranted. Those who shepherd Gods flock must be "above reproach." Their duty is to teach and guide the people. Now, knowing this, remember that we are ALL sinners and fall short of God's grace. The list of requirements given to us in first Timothy may seem to some to be unatainable. There is a saying I've heard somewhere that holds true in this situation, "Heavy weighs the head that wears the crown." Along with the behavior and moral standards of a church leader comes the responsibility of shepherding Gods people. THAT is a huge undertaking for anyone.
~Scott~
Thursday, September 3, 2015
He Alone Survived
Dennis Hale passed away recently. For those who are not familiar with him, Dennis Hale was the only survivor of the Great Lakes freighter Daniel J Morrell, which sank in Lake Huron on November 29, 1966. After the sinking of the Morrell, Dennis and 3 of his shipmates endured a 38 hour long struggle for survival in the icy waters of Lake Huron. One by one, Hales three companions perished in the icy cold conditions. Rescue eventually came for Hale 38 hours after the sinking of the Morrell as a Coast Guard helicopter lifted him to safety. Hale spent several days recovering in a hospital in Harbor Beach, and then countless years trying to come to grips with the reality of being the lone survivor of that 29 man crew. After his rescue, Hale lived a quiet, unassuming life with his wife Barbara in Ashtabula, Ohio. He would often attend anual memorial services for sailors who lost their lives sailing the Great Lakes. In 2010, Dennis Hale authored a book about his survival and rescue titled "Shipwrecked: Reflections Of The Sole Survivor." Having spent most of my life living on the shores of Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota, I spent long hours watching the ships that sailed back and forth. I've been witness to the foul weather that can plague the Great Lakes in the latter part of the shipping season.
The storm that claimed the Daniel J Morrell had come up suddenly, with 60 mph winds and 35 foot waves, the freighter could not withstand the onslaught. Of the 29 man crew, only Dennis and three shipmates made it into a life raft. Years after his ordeal, Hale recounted his tale of survival in a interview. "I'm a fighter but the uncertainty of not knowing if anybody knows you're missing and to hear your other friends cry out in pain like that is just...it makes life seem so useless, really. So I prayed." Dennis Hale was 75.
~Scott~
An Example In Fatherhood
I've noticed over the past few years that there have been christitians who have taken to refering to God as "daddy." I'm pretty sure that this is done out of reverence, as our Lord is often refered to in scripture as our "Heavenly Father." Although this may be a term of honor, for someone who was raised in a single parent home the meaning could be lost altogether. For the longest time I had alot of trouble using the term "Daddy" in reference to God. My life experience with my own father, of course, had alot to do with that. See, my parents were divorced when I was very young, so my memories of my own father were really not too positive. So, using a term such as daddy when speaking of God was an issue for me. I knew in my heart that God was a loving, caring and merciful God, that was not the issue. Hearing people refer to God as daddy sometimes led me to compare Gods attributes to my own fathers, kind of a guilt by association. I know now that God is nothing like my earthly father. In fact, when my earthly father abandoned me, God was the one who swept me into his arms. It's hard for someone who has never experienced the abandonment of a parent to realize the damage caused to children caused by divorce. Maybe this is why I have such a heart for children who have gone through what I did.
I believe one way to ease that pain of not knowing a earthly father is to have a closer relationship with our heavenly father. Whatever it is that our earthly fathers did to cause that pain in our hearts, we can be assured that God loves us unconditionally! There is nowhhere is scripture where God claims "I love you...but.." God does not put conditions of his love on his children, his desire is that everyone would come to know him. God does not keep bankers hours, he is always as close as our next breath. Even the most perfect human father could not compare to the father that God is. The only thing our human fathers can hope to do is to learn from the example that God sets out for them.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of ones youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
Psalm 127: 3-5 NKJV
I can only imagine how different my life would have been had my own father known God. One thing I am sure of, however, is that through my pain, God brought me into a closer walk with him over time. THAT is a true example of a father.
~Scott~
I believe one way to ease that pain of not knowing a earthly father is to have a closer relationship with our heavenly father. Whatever it is that our earthly fathers did to cause that pain in our hearts, we can be assured that God loves us unconditionally! There is nowhhere is scripture where God claims "I love you...but.." God does not put conditions of his love on his children, his desire is that everyone would come to know him. God does not keep bankers hours, he is always as close as our next breath. Even the most perfect human father could not compare to the father that God is. The only thing our human fathers can hope to do is to learn from the example that God sets out for them.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of ones youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
Psalm 127: 3-5 NKJV
I can only imagine how different my life would have been had my own father known God. One thing I am sure of, however, is that through my pain, God brought me into a closer walk with him over time. THAT is a true example of a father.
~Scott~
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Heart Condition
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:21 NKJV
What are the things that we hold most important in our lives? Do we treasure our family, money, fame or status? Whatever it is, the things we treasure the most in life will likely get most of our attention. I've heard it said of more than a few people that he/she has a "heart for God." But do they? Does God occupy such a high place in their life that the Lord is all they treasure? This may be a difficult undertaking considering all that we are bombarded with every day. Our sensory overload includes everything from family and friends to work and finances. I couldn't blame someone for constantly thinking of everything life throws our way. Does this mean that the worries of everyday life are our treasure? Not really, but I think we put way more importance on these things than we should. There was a brief period a few years back, when I had sacraficed my cable tv service. Faced with a good share of spare time, I spent alot of time in the bible. Not suprisingly, my focus on God grew stronger. So, if we were to put aside a few of the things that occupy our daily life and instead shift that focus to developing our relationship with Jesus, would that constitute a "change of heart?" I think so. That's not to say that we ignore the world around us, just devote more time to our relationship with Jesus. In the end, we may just find that those things that used to worry us no longer have that much power over our thoughts.
~Scott~
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Fearless
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
1 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
There are many things that bring out fear in us. From heights, public speaking and insects to the germs around us. Some people become so paralyzed with fear that they become frozen, unable to move a muscle. Howard Hughs, one of the richest and daring men in history, in his later years was confined to his own home, afraid to venture outdoors. For me, that fear is is of heights. I've come face to face with this fear this summer with the help of my friend pastor Dennis as we've hiked our share of trails in and around Portland. At first it was easy, as we ventured into a few city parks, which boasts trails of not too much difficulty. Then it came time to confront my fear head on. If any of you are familiar with the Angels Rest trail in the Columbia River Gorge, then you know it is a steep climb not suited for children or those afraid of heights. And yet, it was on this climb into the clouds that I stared my fear of heights head on! With the help of Dennis, I conquered this monster, and I have the pictures to prove it! Afterwards, I felt a sense of victory for staring down one of my fears.
So, what is it that so paralyzes us into feeling that we can never accomplish something? One thing is certain, it's not from God. As 1 Timothy tells us, we are not born with a spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind. Now, some fears may seem well founded, such as the fear of fire, hot stove tops and live electricity. However, most of our fears and insecurities are not warranted. Would a fear of speaking in public save you from harm? Maybe some embarassment but that's all.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thinng, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 NKJV
Take a look at Romans 8:38-39 and examine it in regards to your fears. Do you have a fear of heights? Romans 8:38-39. A fear of speaking? Romans 8:38-39. Are you like Howard Hughes and deathly afraid of illness? Romans 8:38-39! In fact, for any insecurity that we can find, Romans 8:38-39 will have the answer. See, there is NO fear that we can conjure up in our fleshly minds that will EVER seperate us from the love of our Lord God. Whether fears from our past to fears of what may come tommorow, Gods love for us is still guaranteed! Nothing will seperate us from Gods love. There is something powerful about these verses in relation to how we live our lives. There is NOTHING that we will ever encounter that will seperate us from Gods love in Christ Jesus. Remember, Jesus has overcome this world, and he resides in each of us. Are you afraid of dying? Well, Jesus overcame that too. As I said, there's nothing that can seperate us from God...nothing. Think about that the next time your fears come knocking.
~Scott~
1 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
There are many things that bring out fear in us. From heights, public speaking and insects to the germs around us. Some people become so paralyzed with fear that they become frozen, unable to move a muscle. Howard Hughs, one of the richest and daring men in history, in his later years was confined to his own home, afraid to venture outdoors. For me, that fear is is of heights. I've come face to face with this fear this summer with the help of my friend pastor Dennis as we've hiked our share of trails in and around Portland. At first it was easy, as we ventured into a few city parks, which boasts trails of not too much difficulty. Then it came time to confront my fear head on. If any of you are familiar with the Angels Rest trail in the Columbia River Gorge, then you know it is a steep climb not suited for children or those afraid of heights. And yet, it was on this climb into the clouds that I stared my fear of heights head on! With the help of Dennis, I conquered this monster, and I have the pictures to prove it! Afterwards, I felt a sense of victory for staring down one of my fears.
So, what is it that so paralyzes us into feeling that we can never accomplish something? One thing is certain, it's not from God. As 1 Timothy tells us, we are not born with a spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind. Now, some fears may seem well founded, such as the fear of fire, hot stove tops and live electricity. However, most of our fears and insecurities are not warranted. Would a fear of speaking in public save you from harm? Maybe some embarassment but that's all.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thinng, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 NKJV
Take a look at Romans 8:38-39 and examine it in regards to your fears. Do you have a fear of heights? Romans 8:38-39. A fear of speaking? Romans 8:38-39. Are you like Howard Hughes and deathly afraid of illness? Romans 8:38-39! In fact, for any insecurity that we can find, Romans 8:38-39 will have the answer. See, there is NO fear that we can conjure up in our fleshly minds that will EVER seperate us from the love of our Lord God. Whether fears from our past to fears of what may come tommorow, Gods love for us is still guaranteed! Nothing will seperate us from Gods love. There is something powerful about these verses in relation to how we live our lives. There is NOTHING that we will ever encounter that will seperate us from Gods love in Christ Jesus. Remember, Jesus has overcome this world, and he resides in each of us. Are you afraid of dying? Well, Jesus overcame that too. As I said, there's nothing that can seperate us from God...nothing. Think about that the next time your fears come knocking.
~Scott~
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