A God Without Boundaries

"Lieutenant Welsh remembered walking around among the sleeping men, and thinking to himself that 'they had looked at and smelled death all around them all day but never even dreamed of applying the term to themselves.  They hadn't come here to fear.  They hadn't come to die.  They had come to win."
Steven Ambrose ~ 101st Airborne Division from the book "Band Of Brothers"

June 6th, 1944 is a day almost every American holds in their memories.  This was the day which began the downfall of Adolf Hitler's European domination.  Finally, after five years of Nazi occupation, fortress Europe would be liberated.  For those who know history, the allies were successful in their attempt to push back Hitler's armies.  However, on the morning of June 6th, the prospects of allied victory rested more in prayers than in outright certainty.  We had the confidence we needed, but we also knew and understood our enemy.  One of the first obstacles faced by the allied forces as they pushed into the northern French countryside was that of the thick hedgerows which dominated the fields.  American armored divisions, crucial to the breakout from Normandy, often found it difficult to punch through them.  In some cases, these divisions wasted valuable time in their attempts to circumvent the hedgerows.  To the people of the French countryside, the hedgerows were a way of life.  To the men fighting through them, they were an obstacle.  You might ask yourself, like I had on reading the stories of that day, why were these hedgerows even there?  What was their purpose?  Well, as it turns out, the purpose of the hedgerows is the same purpose as that fence around your yard.  The hedgerows of Normandy date back to Roman times, when they were used to fence in pastures and mark property lines.  Needless to say, they were never meant to serve as tank barriers, but that's what they became.  Wayne Jacobsen recently made the observation that church is more like a meadow of wild flowers than a hedgerow.  I would agree.  What do you think of when you think of church?  For me, church is a gathering of the faith.  For me, church is not the big building, the loud praise and worship band nor the sermon on Christian theology.  All of these are but hedgerows separating us from the meadow of truly enjoying God in His presence. 

Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christs sake.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12: 8 - 10 NKJV

One of the reasons which I left the church was because of the fact that I kept getting lost in the hedgerows of institutional worship.  In fact, I can recall very few times where I felt like I was enjoying that meadow of Gods presence.  When I did, it was outside of the hedgerows of the church.  So, why do I refer to the church as having hedgerows?  Because, like the French countryside, the church has boundaries which all too often inhibit us from enjoying Gods presence.  When I speak of His presence, I speak of the revelation the apostle Paul shares with us in Galatians.  It is Paul who speaks to the belief of Christ in us {Galatians 2:20}.  That is, we can enjoy a life in His presence if we believe that He is in us.  For once we are assured of Christ Jesus in us, we are assured of a life in Him.  This is living in the meadow of enjoyment, without hedgerows and boundaries.  When I think of it, why do we even need boundaries in Christian church?  Rules, regulations and traditions?  All are but hedgerows to our faith.  Of course, I have come to realize a different view of church.  My realization of church has nothing to do with rules and traditions, but everything to do with gathering in the Lords presence...to enjoy Him and not all which we have made it.  Yes, I realize that this flies  in the face of all the traditional church goers out there.  I am not, nor will I ever, advocate for others to do what I do.  As with my own realization, everyone must come to their own "Meet Jesus" moment.  I simply believe that God never intended for the church of His believers to be chained to years of rules and traditions.  I believe that God desires meadows and not hedgerows.

~Scott~

Conditional Church

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions 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

I was sent a article this week by a friend which argued the point that church without the church building was not church at all.  That church without the traditional trappings of the church, was not church.  Of course, I disagreed with the main points of this article as I believe that our Lords church is not made up by brick and mortar, but by we who are the body of the church {1 Corinthians 12:12}.  Also, contrary to what the article claimed, it is not the unelected church leadership which is the head of the church body, but Christ Jesus Himself {Ephesians 1:22}.  However, according to this article, we cannot possibly engage in church unless we are in a proper church building, with proper church leadership claiming proper church theology.  Then and only then can we consider ourselves as being in church.  Does anyone else except me see the ridiculousness of this way of thinking?  We're told in Acts 2 of the growing church of the early followers of Jesus who contradicted the very belief of organized church.  I see this scripture as the very model of what the gathering of the church of Jesus should be.  After all, that is what we are, the church of Jesus.  Can we not gather in His name unless we are properly led?  Can we not gather unless we are in a proper building?  I can honestly say that Jesus is not not a big fan of this idea.  Why?  Because when we adhere to this line of thinking we are placing conditions upon Gods children.  This was something Jesus spoke out against vehemently {Matthew 23:13}.  Why did Jesus speak His "Woes to the Pharisees?"  Because the Pharisees, the religious leaders of His day, were notorious for burdening the children of the Lord with traditions.  Jesus saw through all of that and called them out for it.  Of course, that was one of the reasons for their dislike of Him.  The church of the Pharisees was indeed conditional church.

And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have preeminence.
Colossians 1: 18 NKJV

I am not afraid nor embarrassed to admit that I have not stepped inside a church in over ten years.  Why?  Because I had grown weary of the same old traditional song and dance.  Like watching a rerun for the umpteenth time, church for me had become non inspiring.  My heart was not lifted when I stepped through those doors.  On the contrary, my own heart felt burdened by the requirements we find in the institutional church.  Yes, you could say that I was one that got away.  However, every now and then I come across a story or article telling of those who are leaving the church.  I can relate.  In my heart, I do not believe that Jesus desires for the body of His church to be burdened with traditions and conformity.  I will never believe that it is the desire of Christ that we cannot gather in His name unless we do so in a appropriate way.  In fact, I say that Jesus is at His very best when we come to that realization that we don't need to seek Him, but to realize that it is He who lives in us {Galatians 2:20}.  Why would I need to go to a church building in order to celebrate Christ Jesus who is in me?  For if Jesus is indeed with me wherever I go, then wherever I go can certainly end up being akin to a church service (albeit without the band and offering).  If we are all members of the body of Christ, why do we claim that unless we worship in a certain way that all of a sudden our membership in the church of Jesus is no more?  For when you claim that worship without the traditions, leadership and trappings of traditional church is not church at all, you are not seeing church for what it truly is in Jesus.  I would say that conditional church...is no church at all.

"And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.  But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in."
Matthew 23: 12 - 13 NKJV

~Scott~

The Power Of One

Yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.
1 Corinthians 8: 6 NKJV

There has been more than a few discussions lately in our circle of just how Christianity resembles many of the religions of the world.  We see this in Islam, Buddhism and Judaism.  One of the most obvious similarities between a few of the worlds largest religions and Christianity is the belief in one God.  One creator.  Could it be, that the faith we choose to follow has been shared on a larger scale than we thought?  For we know of the journeys of the followers of Jesus as they spoke the message of the gospel throughout the region of the middle east and into Italy and Europe as well.  The missionary journeys of the apostle Paul are well documented in scripture.  How else is it that we can explain the common ground between Christianity and the religions of the world?  Are the religions of the world merely copies of the faith we believe in?  Perhaps, although with more than a few adaptations along the way.  We also cannot discount the fact that the different civilizations around the world developed beliefs similar to Christianity all on their own.  One of the best examples of this are the tribes of the American Indians.  Long before settlers arrived to change their culture, these tribes of Americas heartland spoke of their belief in one "creator."  I find it interesting that, even today, those of our  native American cultures speak of the spiritual relationship between man, his creator and nature.  Indeed, many native Americans refer to the spiritual existence of the eagle, the bear and the sun itself.  Could it be that these early Americans knew more about the existence of God than those who later tried to convert them?  When I speak to this, I refer to the Indian belief of mans relationship to the creator.  His relationship to the world around him.  It seems interesting to me that these north American cultures would speak to such knowledge of the spiritual side of  their lives.  In essence, they got it.  They realized the physical bond between the creator and themselves.  Between God and His children.  Are we to claim that there are borders to Gods ability to reveal Himself to others?  If indeed we rightly believe that God can and will reveal Himself to those He chooses...how did He reveal Himself to those of the Indian tribes?  Through the eagle?  Through the wolf? 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1: 1 - 5 NKJV

Scripture tells us that God has created all which we see {Genesis 1:1}.  We know that He breathed into us the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}.  As Christians, we believe in this without question.  Are we to say, then, that God also did not create those of other cultures as well?  It would be foolish to not only limit our Lords ability but to give attention to such thoughts.  If God has given me life, then He has given life to those across His creation as well.  I don't hold a copyright on Gods blessings and mercy.  When we look closer upon the life of Jesus, we find that He was simply an extension of the Father.  It was Jesus who told those around Him that He and the Father were the same {John 10:30}.  It is through Christ that God reveals Himself to His creation.   Knowing this, is it that hard to imagine that one such as Jesus could have revealed Himself before the tribes of north America?  Is it difficult to conceive that God could reveal Himself in the form of His creation.  Through the eagle?  Through the wolf?  I do not believe that this is a area where we should place limits upon God.  In fact, we should never do such a thing.  Although I am not privy to ancient native American writings, I would not think it impossible for a young boy or girl to communicate with a wolf or a fish if God so chose to do so.  How else is it that we can explain the Indian belief in a "Great Spirit?"  Somewhere along the way, God chose to reveal Himself in a meaningful way to this part of His creation.  In retrospect, God is simply doing what He does best...relating to His children. 

"I and My Father are one."
John 10: 30 NKJV

~Scott~

Can You Relate?

"Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
John 15: 4 - 5 NKJV

I have heard a lot of talk over the years of having a "relationship" with God, of having a relationship with Jesus.  I have a good friend who claims that one thing that brought him into fellowship of a particular church was that he desired a relationship with Jesus.  I get it.  However, if we are to be as good at our relationship with Christ as we are with our own relationships with those around us we might want to reconsider our motives.  For as humans we have left some pretty bad stains upon the relationships we've had.  We've often left others feeling as if a relationship was a bad thing.  The marriage relationship of my own parents fell apart rather quickly, so my own views on relationships were looked upon through this filter.  So, whenever someone tries to explain to me that they desire a closer relationship with Jesus my first question to them is...can you relate?  Can you relate to someone who desires to be your all, even in those moments where you won't want to include Him?  Can you relate to the truth of Jesus that you are not, nor have you ever been, independent from Him?  Can you relate to the reality that when you become upset with Jesus, and you will, that you cannot simply walk away from Him?  When we enter into a relationship with Jesus, it's not as one of those temporary flash in the pan infatuations we've often engaged in.  This is a life relationship.  All of the questions I listed above I've faced in my own relationship with Christ.  When I've felt the weight of my sin, I didn't want to allow Jesus into my life for fear of what He might do.  Well, we're told that Jesus has already put that sin issue to death {Romans 6:6-11}.  There have been times when I have become upset with Jesus.  Most notably after my mother passed.  However, I soon realized that despite being angry with Him, I needed Him then more than ever.  And the big one, that we can never be separate from God who created us.  The apostle Paul speaks to us in Galatians that it is Jesus Himself who lives through us {Galatians 2:20}.  I write this not as a warning to those who desire a closer relationship with Christ, but as reassurance that Jesus desires the very same thing we do.

"That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I  in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that you sent me.  And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.  I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."
John 17: 21 - 23 NKJV

Our own relationship with Jesus will be different from any relationship we will ever have.  There is no doubt in my mind that we now view relationships as something that is disposable.  From marriages to friendships, our own closest relationships last about as long as they are beneficial to us.  Again, I don't write this to discourage one from seeking a relationship with Jesus, but as a warning of what they may face in the process of coming to know Him.  Jesus has never been one for temporary relationships.  In fact, His desire for a relationship with us dates back to before we were even born.  In His prayer in the garden, Christ prays for that relationship...that they (we who are Gods creation) "may be one in Us."  Jesus was praying for that relationship with all of Gods creation, not just those who would come to know Him.  Indeed, that friend whom you no longer speak to may desire a closer relationship with Jesus as much as you do.  Jesus does not play favorites, he welcomes you both.  If only that could be said with our own relationships.  For our own track record with relationships is pretty dismal.  Still we keep trying.  I will say from personal experience that having a close relationship with Jesus is one of the best moves one could engage in.  Before I came to know Him, Jesus was simply the Jesus of the bible I had read about.  He was crucified, rose again on the third day and ascended into heaven to be with the Father.  However, there was nothing in that story that told me that I could have a relationship with Him.  It wasn't until I began reading the writings of Paul that I realized that a relationship with Christ was possible.  Why is this important?  Because Jesus is so much more than just that story in the bible.  He is our all in all.  Can you relate to that? 

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
1 John 4: 9 NKJV

~Scott~

Good Morning Jesus

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galatians 2: 20 NKJV

Recently, talk radio host Rush Limbaugh has taken to mentioning to his audience that he wakes up each day thanking the Lord that he is alive to enjoy his life for one more day.  This is understandable, as Limbaugh was recently diagnosed with a severe form of lung cancer.  However, not wanting to live the rest of his life as a victim, Rush has decided to do battle with the disease that afflicts him.  At least up until this point, his recovery has been going well.  I thought it pointed that this man who is admired by millions would consider himself humble enough to realize that each day is but a gift which we are given by our creator.  I've recently taken this a step further by facing each morning by proclaiming "Good morning Jesus!"  For those who are unfamiliar, there is more to this phrase than meets the eye.  Indeed, I face each new day with the realization of who it is that I truly am.  My identity does not lie with all which I've accomplished, but with Christ Jesus who lives in me.  The apostle Paul gives the best illustration of the knowing we have of Christ in us in Galatians.  It is here where Paul claims boldly, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me."  When we come to the realization of what Paul is attempting to show us, we began to see not only ourselves but the lives we live much differently.  How wonderful it is to live in the reality that you are one in Christ and He is one in you.  I think of all of the misguided messages which I have bought into over the years which have run totally contrary to the truth which has always been in me.  That I am not worthy.  That God could never have a intimate relationship with a sinner like me.  These thoughts, as untrue as they are, wreak havoc upon the lives of believers and non believers alike.  Can you imagine waking up each day feeling as if your behaviors are a barrier between yourself and the love of Jesus?  Well, that was me not so long ago.  My addictions of the flesh had my thoughts wired contrary to the truth.  Of course, the one place I trusted to find some acknowledgement that I was indeed special to God was the one place where I was told that my sins were a barrier to being close to Him.  As with all the negative thoughts I had of myself, this too was a lie.

Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  For he who has died has been freed from sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more.  Death no longer has dominion over Him.  For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.  Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 6 - 11 NKJV

I'm quite certain that I am not alone as one who has had negative thoughts and feelings about myself at one time or another.  I have never met someone who can claim anything but.  However, those I have come across usually fall into one of two types of people.  Those who simply accept the lie that God has somehow created a inferior product.  Or, those who stand in faith by the word of God that we are lovingly created in His very image {Genesis 1:27}.  Indeed, if we are of the belief that God has created everything perfect, then we must include ourselves in that conversation as well.  There are those who will say, "But what about my sin?"  Yeah, what about it?  Are we to believe that a creator who created everything perfect and for it's own purpose also did not have a purpose for sin as well?  What is sin?  Well, that may be a conversation for another time, but I believe that the idea of sin is when we commit a transgression against God.  We see this in the original lie of Satan {Genesis 3: 4-5}.  Satan knew the truth, that Adam and Eve were in union with the Lord in the garden.  However, being as this was all which they had ever known, Adam and Eve were more than likely oblivious to this.  So, could God have used sin (which he also created) to open the eyes of His creation?  Definitely.  For those who also struggle with the feelings of their own sin and shortcomings getting in the way of coming to know God I offer some much needed advice.  It is through Christ and Christ alone that our sins are not only forgiven, but that we are no longer beholden to them {Romans 6:6}.  For Jesus died on the cross "that the body of sin might be done away with."  It is Jesus who became sin that this would be possible {2 Corinthians 5:21}.  The most perfect realization which we can have is that not only were we lovingly created, but that it is God who lives in us.  Good morning Jesus.

~Scott~

Hearts For Jesus

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.
1 Peter 3: 15 NKJV

I was thinking the other day of the many traditions of the institutional church which I find...unproductive.  First off, let me say that we have traditions for a reason, and it's usually not for teaching purposes.  Tradition tells us to gather as a family around the dinner table on thanksgiving.  By tradition, we also celebrate our nations independence each July 4th.  However, I cannot recall too many traditions from my school days which benefited me as far as learning.  Arrive on time, leave on time, that was it.  So, when I look upon the institutional church of today and the numbers of people who are leaving the church, it makes me wonder if all of those church traditions are one of the reasons for the exodus from our churches.  A few of the traditions I find unproductive are tithing, modern praise and worship and endless sermons.  How I long to see a sign outside a local church which proclaims "Come and meet Jesus!"  Then, I wonder just how many people such a sign would entice to come and learn more about our Lord.  Of course, I've seen such signs before, all part of some well meaning office persons desire to bring more people into the church.  Well, the issue is not with how many people fill the church, but what they are being taught once they get there.  I've often told a friend of mine that one of the barriers of others having the realization of Christ Jesus in them is that we are going against thousands of years of church theology.  Despite this, I would bet that were I to ask someone walking out of a church who Jesus is I would get a few different answers.  Jesus is our Savior, He is our Lord and moral guide.  Indeed, Jesus is many different things to many different people.  The traditional view of Jesus is that He was born to a virgin and then spent His life in obscurity until He reached His thirties.  After this He was tempted by Satan, ministered to others, was persecuted and betrayed, put to death, rose again on the third day and ascended into heaven to be with the Father.  This is the life of Jesus which church tradition has taught us.  However, I can assure you that His story does not end there.  Traditionally, we're not taught the story of Jesus today.  That is, where Jesus is at this moment.  Well, you may have learned that Jesus remained in heaven after His ascended there, but that's not the case.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.  My Father. who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Fathers hand.  I and My Father are one."
John 10: 27 - 30 NKJV

I have not met too many Christians who would dispute the validity of the ministry of the apostle Paul.  It was Paul who, after persecuting the church of the followers of Jesus, came to his own reckoning on the road to Damascus.  See, the man Saul had lived a life of tradition in the Jewish faith.  There are those traditions again.  Having been raised in his faith, Saul sought to persecute the church of the followers of Jesus.  Now, I can only assume that because Jesus Himself had been critical of the church leaders of His day, that the leaders of Saul's faith whole heartedly approved and endorsed his persecution of the early Christians.  Well, until Jesus stepped in.  For after that day on the road to Damascus Paul was a changed man.  Gone were those traditions which he had been raised in.  What Paul preached now was not tradition, but Christ.  It is Paul who shows us clearly who Jesus is today.  It is Jesus who is in each and every heart of those who have left the church.  Paul explained that it was Christ Jesus who now lived in him after his Damascus road experience {Galatians 2:20}.  Knowing the real Jesus will go against quite a few church traditions we have been taught.  Jesus has never been far removed from the hearts of His children.  Through Jesus, our sin issue has been done away with {Romans 6:6-11}.  Remember that the next time your pastor claims that we are but sinners saved by grace.  God no longer sees us in that way.  It has long been my belief that were all Christians to come to the knowledge of Christ Jesus in us, that we would no longer have need to the traditions of the church.  After all, it is Jesus who is our life, not the other way around.  We hear His voice and we know Him...because we have hearts for Jesus.

~Scott~

The Judgement Seat

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but has passed from death into life.
John 5: 24 NKJV

I was listening to a radio preachers sermon this week as he was speaking to the topic of Gods judgement upon His children.  Now, if you're like most Christians, your ears perk up whenever the topic of our Lords judgement is brought up.  For we have been conditioned to believe that we are but sinners saved by our Lords love and grace.  That our sins are what prevents God from drawing near to us.  Well, I am not foolish enough to believe that I once carried no sin within me.  I admit to my former condition, and thank Jesus for loving me enough to save me from myself.  Indeed, it is Jesus who Himself became sin that sins punishment would not fall upon me {2 Corinthians 5:21}.  I thank Jesus for putting to death that sin which once enslaved me {Romans 6:6}.  So, as I rejoice in my new life in Him, is my enjoyment to be tempered by the realization that I must also face my Lords judgement?  If so, what is it for which I am being judged?  Will I be judged for those past deeds which God has already deemed forgiven?  Is God a Indian giver in that respect?  Assuring us that our sins are no more before Him, yet bringing them up once again at the judgement?  It is for this reason that I believe that whatever judgement I once faced was wiped away the instant Jesus gave Himself for me upon that cross.  It is here that I passed from a life of being a sinner, to a life in Christ.  The apostle Paul also certainly received this realization in his own life.  It was Paul, who in his former life, was a vile persecutor of the early church of the followers of Jesus.  That is, until he was introduced to Jesus on the road to Damascus.  So, did Paul believe that he was still to answer Gods judgement for that which he had done?  No, for in Paul's own realization, that old man he once was was now dead, having been crucified at Christs side.  It was Paul's belief that what remained was His life in Christ Jesus {Galatians 2:20}.  Despite all which he had done, when God now looked upon Paul, he did not see the stain of the sins he once carried.  So it is with us.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5: 21 NKJV

There is, in our criminal justice system, a unique right we all enjoy.  That being the freedom of double jeopardy.  This guarantees us the right to never be prosecuted and punished for the same offense.  That is, once we are found to be innocent, we cannot be charged again for the same offense.  I believe that this is a good illustration of how it is that God looks upon our former offenses.  What does God see when He looks upon us?  He sees Jesus who is now in us.  If we were to petition God for the forgiveness of all we had done, His response may very well be, what sin?  What sin is there which our heavenly Father has not absolved us from?  What sin is there which Jesus has not bled and died for upon the cross?  I feel that it is a fools errand to continue trusting in the belief that we must yet answer for some sin despite the fact that we no longer live as sinners.  Despite the fact that Jesus put our sin to death {Romans 6:6-11}.  Yet, church theology continues to tell us that despite the fact that Christ died for our sins, that we must also face judgement for them.  Any decent lawyer would dismiss this as double jeopardy.  Despite what modern theology tells us, I believe that God does not intend for us to live a life of fear of what He might yet do.  However, I do believe that His desire for us is to live a life of freedom in Christ Jesus.  After all, we live as Jesus, and what will Christ be judged for?

Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  For he who has died has been freed from sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more.  Death no longer has dominion over Him.  For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.  Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 6 - 11 NKJV

~Scott~

It Is What It Is

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55: 8 - 9 NKJV

I heard a radio pastor this week lamenting the fact that we often wonder within ourselves just where God is in our times where we need Him the most.  Haven't you ever been there?  When life seems to be chaotic and you can't take much more?  You know that the Lord has promised to be with you always, yet you are struggling with your circumstances.  I've been in those shoes as well.  However, I think that we need to clarify a few things before we dive into just how we should see God in our trials.  First, the ages old idea that there is a separation between ourselves and God is just that, an idea.  It was, in fact, a idea born out of the lie of Satan himself {Genesis 3:4-5}.  It was Satan who also thought himself separate from God {Isaiah 14:13}.  However, it is the apostle Paul who reveals to us the truth of just who we are in Christ Jesus.  It is Paul who tells us that it is Christ who lives through us today {Galatians 2:20}.  This is what we speak to when we claim Christ in us.  This illustrates our own intimate connection with Jesus.  It is Jesus who now shares our thoughts, experiences and life.  We are...as Him.  Knowing this, how is it that we can fall victim to the lie of the deceiver when he claims that God is nowhere in sight?  That God is in heaven managing things while we are here on earth suffering.  I will never believe that this is the future which the Lord has for me.  I will never believe that God intended for us to live a life apart from Him.  So, where is God when the troubles of life come knocking at our door?  The same place He has always been...in you.  That's right, not only does Jesus share in our joys, but also in our sorrows as well.  For who else would know more about pain and suffering than Jesus?  Believe me, Jesus can teach us a thing or two about going through trials.  The sufferings of Jesus are well documented in scripture. 

"I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."
John 17: 23 NKJV

I saw in the news this week that the democrats threw a fit over how the president described our battle with the media hype virus.  When asked how we should be handling the virus, President Trump answered, "It is what it is."  He was right on the money.  How come I don't see God in my struggles?  It is what it is.  Why is it that I always feel like God is so far away from me?  It is what it is.  The truth is, we've chosen to fall in line with a narrative for thousands of years.  The institutional church teaching that tells us that God is in heaven and that we are here on earth.  The theology that continues to tell us that the closest we can be to God is to be "like" Him.  Well, Jesus Himself torched that theology at the cross.  Jesus didn't die simply for the forgiveness of our sins, but that our life of sin would be put to death {Romans 6:6-11}.  After that, Jesus took the place since once held in our lives.  He now lives in us, sharing in everything we do.  We're no longer identified by our old sin nature, but by Christ who is in us.  So, again I will ask the question which I posed earlier.  How should we see God in our difficulties?  Should we continue to see Him as being separate?  Or, do we follow the truth of Christ and realize that Jesus endures these trials as we do.  I prefer knowing that Jesus is beside me at every turn.  However, there will continue to be those who will continue to follow a failed theology.  It is what it is. 

~Scott~

When It Was A Game

My God!  How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!
Thomas Jefferson

I was talking with a friend this week about a plague that has been making the rounds of our nations sports teams.  It seems that all the rage is now about making political statements and not the enjoyment of the game itself.  From the NBA to the NFL we see rich, entitled athletes forsaking our national anthem to make a political statement.  My take is that they have forgotten what it was like.  What it was like...when it was just a game.  I remember what that was like, because we played the game many times.  Usually our game of choice was hockey.  When you grow up in the frozen north of Minnesota, that's kind of a no brainer.  I remember the game.  I remember loving the game so much that we would be outside in sub zero weather just for the opportunity to play.  Back then it was simple, there were no political agendas to be met.  We just played.  If someone came along who was a different race than we were, we invited them to play as well.  In fact, one of my best friends growing up was a American Indian kid by the name of Ron.  We forged many friendships out on those snow covered ice rinks, because it was just a game.  The most heated disagreements we would engage in was deciding when to quit playing.  As the rink lights faded out and we skated in the dark, all we would promise was "One more goal!"  There was never any homework assignment too big, nor any chore at home too tough that we couldn't forsake for just one more chance to play.  We were having fun...playing the game.  The few times I watch sports on tv these days I see young kids idolizing professional players for the political stands they take or the products they endorse.  We idolized the professional athletes of our day because of how well they played.  One of of my most prized possessions growing up was a New York Islanders Mike Bossy jersey that my mom bought for me.  Of course, the Islanders were my favorite team back then.  When I wore that jersey while we played, I would often imagine myself as Bossy himself playing under the lights of New York's Nassau Coliseum.  Back when it was a game. 

America will never be destroyed from the outside.  If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.
Abraham Lincoln

When I look around me these days, I don't see the passion for the game that we had growing up.  What I do see is a generation of young people seeing the opportunity to play a kids game for financial gain or notoriety.  I recall a prominent college quarterback who sat out the final game of his college career because he didn't want to damage his prospects of being a top pick in the upcoming draft and the financial windfall it would bring.  Well, perhaps because of that move, he fell out of the top five draft spots and is today out of the game.  How much does he wish that he had just played the game?  Growing up, we dreamed of standing out on the ice while the national anthem was played.  Never once did we consider disrespecting our country as more than a few athletes these days have done.  It's not as if we grew up in a country that was less restrictive than the athletes of today.  Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco quarterback who made headlines with his protest of kneeling while the national anthem was played, grew up in a pretty affluent family.  However, apparently being a entitled kid in no way means that you appreciate where it is that you came from.  Maybe it was the fact that athletes of our day didn't make the multi million dollar contracts they do now, but we never idolized players for how much money they made.  Our likes, dislikes and loyalties all depended upon how the player performed on the ice, where it mattered.  I had more than a few bragging rights growing up as my New York Islanders won four straight Stanley Cup titles.  We wore our jerseys with a pride that comes from knowing our heroes believed in the same thing we did...that it was just a game. 

~Scott~

As The Wind

Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
Acts 8: 4 NKJV 

Part of our discussion this week centered around a similarity between the scattering of the church we see in Acts and the that of churches today.  Although I do see it, I believe that there were far different reasons for these two events.  First off, the church of the early followers of Jesus was being persecuted, most notably by the man Saul {Acts 8:3}.  Therefore, in the midst of this persecution, the early church scattered to different regions of the area, namely Judea and Samaria.  However, we are told that even in the middle of their persecution, that the early church continued to preach the gospel of Jesus {Acts 8:4}.  Fast forward to the events of today and we see one church after another breaking up with some of the congregation going one way while others go another.  The difference we see with todays churches is that there does not seem, as far as I can tell, the amount of persecution which the early church endured.  Yet we continue to see the Lord scatter his believers as the wind.  Do I believe that there is a reason for this, absolutely.  That reason, I believe, is what has become our own dependence upon the mainstream church.  For years we have continued to refer to the church as "Gods house," as if God Himself dwelled in it.  Now, I have no doubt that the Lord can and does dwell in our houses of worship, but does He favor one congregation over that of another?  I think not.  For we know that with the Lord there is no favoritism {James 2:1}.  Yet we continue in our beliefs that the Lord one over another.  We continue in our belief that the building is more important than the person.  Let me tell you, if I were God I'd scatter the church too.  One of the big reasons I left the church was that it had become too big and impersonal.  Each week we see large congregations submitting to the ages old traditions which have been passed down for hundreds of years.  Did God intend for His church, of which Christ Jesus is the head, to be a church of man made traditions and institutions?  Again, I think not.  It is for this very reason that I believe we are seeing the disbanding of so many congregations across the country.  Dare I say that people are desiring  more than the same old institutional church song and dance. 

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
Romans 12: 4 - 5 NKJV

I recently read of a large church that was ceasing Sunday services and instead focusing on in home smaller groups.  Not only is this a smart move, but I believe that it brings us back to our roots as far as believers go.  As I mentioned, for too long we have come to associate church as being a building or a location.  That was never the case.  The church, as scripture tells us, is in the believers and not the bricks and mortar.  The apostle Paul tells us that WE are the body of the church, and Jesus is the head of that body {Romans 12:4-5, Colossians 1:18}.  As such, we are all a part of the church of Jesus.  Therefore, it does not matter which church or what pew you are in on any particular Sunday, what matters is that you gather with the body of the Lord Jesus.  I have long been a believer in home groups over the big congregations for obvious reasons.  The main issue is that it is very easy for a new believer to become lost in a larger church.  I've also been fortunate to learn from a dear friend of the inner politics of larger congregations, which is what I try to avoid.  It has been almost five years now since a small group of men decided to start meeting at a local fast food joint on Sunday mornings to talk about Jesus.  One of the most authentic churches I've ever been involved in.

~Scott~

Lest We Forget

But whoever has this worlds goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
1 John 3: 17 NKJV

Recently, I was asked by a friend of mine to speak to a group of young people about my own life experiences.  Needless to say, I was both honored and hesitant a the same time.  Honored by the fact that he would choose me for this, but yet hesitant by the fact that doing so would dig up some old bones I had buried long ago.  Yes, contrary to popular belief I have not always been the scripture quoting nice guy some may see me as.  Those who know me have been privy to the past I have shared with them, some of which I am not proud of.  Yet, as I thought about it I came to the conclusion that I needed to do this.  If not for me, then for these young people who have been up to this point struggling through life.  See, my friend works with youth who have been involved with addictions and other destructive behaviors.  Indeed, my heart goes out to these who have suffered so much at such a young age.  While I cannot imagine the struggles they have overcome, I know that by speaking my experiences to them may help them realize that they are not alone.  There has been many a time where I myself have felt as if I was on this hamster wheel of life all by myself.  While I managed to avoid the alcohol and drug addictions of others, I didn't walk away unscathed in my own experiences.  My own drug of choice turned out to be pornography, and it was just as destructive as any drug we might have come across.  Science tells us that pornography triggers the very same pleasure centers of the brain that cocaine, meth or any other drug will.  So, in this way, I became addicted to both the images and ideas of this drug.  In some way, it is easier for recovering addicts to speak to alcohol and drug addictions than to that of pornography.  There is a stigma there born out of the domination and violence of those who have suffered this sickness.  I was fortunate, in a way, that my own addiction never owned me to the point where I ran afoul of the law.  For that I am thankful to Jesus who knocked on that door at just the right moment.

Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God.
2 Timothy 1: 8 NKJV

For those who may not know, there is a reason why every alcoholics anonymous meeting is punctuated by the confessions of those who have suffered.  Lest we forget.  Believe me, I would love to simply say that my experiences I've faced never happened.  However, the trouble with this is that in their own way, my struggles made me the man that I am today.  It is not the easy, walks in the sunshine which will build in us the character we need to survive.  On the contrary, our character is born out of pain, addiction and struggle.  For if bad experiences are the true measure of a man, then indeed I have plenty to share.  I look upon this opportunity to speak to a group of young people not as what not to do, but speak to them what I've done in the hope that they will see the folly in pursuing such elusive pleasures.  I only wish that I had someone earlier in my life who would have shared the same experiences with me.  This is the power of our testimony, and how we can use it to change the lives of those around us.  We might see our experiences as a dark stain upon our lives, but how much more encouraging are these words to someone needing to hear the message that they, too, can overcome?  That is my hope, not that these young people will listen to me and see that these are the wrong things to do, but that God has chosen them for something far better.  It is the message I received that night when I was about to enter just another strip club only to be stopped in my tracks by the realization that...this isn't who I am.

~Scott~

Going Viral

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions 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

Since the Coronavirus scare began, I've seen the organized church fall into a few stages of dealing with the pandemic.  First was outrage many felt that government lockdown orders would include our houses of worship.  There are, in fact, still a few lawsuits out there challenging the authority of government to stifle religious gatherings.  Oregon governor lockdown Kate Brown has now limited indoor gatherings in hopes of, so she claims, of reducing the virus.  However, she has not imposed such restrictions upon the nightly violent protests which the city of Portland has endured for the past two months.  whatever your views on how we are dealing with the virus situation, as a Christian you may be concerned that your beliefs are being trodden upon by a ever intrusive government.  I would disagree in part, and here's why.  When we look into the scriptures of Acts 2, we see a church community that was flourishing not with ceremonies and services in temples, but with meetings among the followers of Jesus within the community.  We do not see the local temple mentioned, only that these early followers of Jesus were content to congregate in one another's homes in their worship of the Lord.  Now, I've seen a few examples of this in my local churches, and I love what they are doing.  However, what I've also seen is that more than a few churches have gone the route of  online video services.  Here, members of the congregation can sit at their computers each Sunday morning and watch the same old song and dance Sunday service.  This is fine for the church leaders, as they are fulfilling a need while still drawing a paycheck.  However, what of the hungry Christians out there who desire the fellowship and personal contact which a in person church service brings?  It is these people who may just seek to fulfill those needs elsewhere. 

"God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.  Nor is He worshipped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things."
Acts 17: 24 - 25 NKJV

Those who have encountered restrictions from the pandemic have certainly found other ways to satisfy their need for in person Christian fellowship.  I know of friends who have now taken to scheduling weekly golf outings, barbecues and outdoor activities as a replacement for the weekly fellowship we've lost due to the pandemic.  This isn't something new, as people have been socializing for thousands of years.  I call it more of  a adapting church.  Adapting to the restrictions being placed upon it.  Whatever you call it, there can be no doubt that the Father has His hands in all which is happening around us.  God hasn't changed.  What has changed is our own perceptions of church.  With in person meetings curtailed, we've found other ways to fulfill our church needs.  Along the way we've also discovered that maybe the church isn't the be all end all we thought it was.  This is good news for the hungry believer, but bad news for church pastors and leaders.  For what is a pastor to do when the congregation he once led has suddenly found others ways to look upon and see the Lord?  My own perspective on the virus situation is unique because I've found that the God I believe in does not dwell only in stone churches and temples.  The Lord I follow dwells in me.  That's right, Jesus lives through me.  I don't need a Sunday morning service to be close to Christ, I already have that, and I'm good.  The apostle Paul assures those who believe in Jesus that they have Jesus in them as well {Galatians 2:20}.  In fact, the pandemic might just be a opportunity for more followers of Jesus to come to the realization that it is He, and not the church, that is important.  It is He who gives us all things.

~Scott~