New Find...

Ok, this is definitely an informational post... so, this is more of a current event type thing.

Here's the deal... today I was looking at Facebook and myself, the church's secretary, and my pastor saw a symbol unlike any other. So, my pastor and I began to research, and this is what we found. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

So... what is it?

It's called a "heartagram". It's made popular by Bam Margera and a band called HIM. Bam loves the band HIM so he wears their clothing and such. Well, everything HIM does has a "heartagram" on it. Let me explain what a heartagram stands for:
Death and love.
It seems to be an ongoing thing that teenagers today enjoy wearing, most likely because of the unique styling of the symbol. Doesn't seem TOO wrong to wear that, however, let's look at the band that made this, and where the thought of the design comes from.

HIM was a band whose original name was: His Infernal Majesty
Infernal is from the late Latin word "infernus" meaning hell. Merriam - Webster defines it as this: "of or relating to a nether world of the dead. of or relating to hell. damnable"
So, basically what the name HIM means is this: Satan (infernal) is a glorified and high above spiritual being and they want to be sold out to him...

Now, all I did was take the name of the band and the meaning of the symbol and break it down. So, there ya go... that's what your kids/grandkids are probably wearing or wanting right now...

We have to step in and make a stand against things like this. It's not all innocent things that they want. They may not know the meaning behind all of it or anything, but there is a dark, spiritual, satanic meaning behind the symbol.

Just hope this helps with current culture!

Renew

Ok, so it's been forever since I've blogged. SO WHAT!? Just kidding...

So I was reading Romans 12 as part of our New Thru 30 Bible Study the other day, and something jumped out at me. I've read this chapter several times, but as I was reading this group of scriptures jumped off the page, punched me in the face a couple of times, and then sunk deep into my heart.

Here they are:
"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do no be conformed to this word but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Here's the deal with this scripture. When we come to Christ we are to understand that it is a MINDSET change that must take place, which in turn changes our lives. SO, our HEART is cleansed, our MINDS are transformed, and our LIVES are to reflect that? People...living for God IS a works thing, and not just a heart thing! When your heart is TRULY changed your LIFE will reflect that change.
Just like when I get kicked in the shin... my FACE reflects what I'm feeling! My LIFE should reflect what I'm experiencing on the inside. But, HOW?

Paul explains that as well, in verses 4-6
"For just as we have many members in one body and all members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are on body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly."

What? We are to REFLECT what is going on inside of us by this: LOVING EACH OTHER REGARDLESS OF GIFTS/QUIRKS/AGGRAVATIONS! We are to love and support one another. We are to be of the same mind. The reason our MIND is to transform after our HEART is cleansed is to be on the same level with Christ. But, if we are all transforming our minds to be on the same level with Christ, then we are all consequently on the same level with each other! SO WHERE IS ALL THE FRUSTRATION, ARGUING, and DISAGREEMENT in the church coming from? NO TRANSFORMATION! We aren't transforming our minds, we are simply judging others. And verse 3 says clearly

"...not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgement..."

WE have a RESPONSIBILITY to TRANSFORM our HEARTS so we can SHAPE our LIVES in order to reflect the MIND of Christ! And we can't understand the mind of Christ until we focus and are overcome with the Holy Spirit, whom God sent after Christ ascended. (1 Corinthians)

Verses 9-10 "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor."

THIS IS THE WILL OF THE FATHER THAT IS GOOD, PLEASING, AND PERFECT!
So, we look for the will of God in our lives, and He does have specific actions, careers, and mates that we should choose, but it's really not that simple. God's SIMPLE, PLEASING, GOOD, and PERFECT will is this: LOVE EACH OTHER and SHOW IT!
We can't care about what's going on in their love life until we care about what's going on in their heart. I can't tell them how to date if I can't tell them how to love God!
I'm tired of seeing Christians search for the Will of God, more than they search for an opportunity to share Christ. The Will of God is to SHARE CHRIST while LOVING EACH OTHER! Simple as that!
My life should be shaped, by the transforming of my mind, which is reflecting the experience of my heart!
I'm ready to enter into a whole new level of dedication to the will of God, I hope I'm not alone...am I?

(if you're from Ebenezer, you may be hearing this again. haha)

The Ananias Mindset

It's been a while since I've posted but I think I will tonight...

I've been reading/studying the book of Acts recently and I just ran across the story of the conversion of Saul to Paul. One of my all time favorites, because I feel like most of us probably have a Saul Experience to speak of at some point in our lives. But tonight my mind and thoughts were turned from SAUL to ANANIAS.

Ananias was the one that prayed over Saul in order to "ordain" him to begin his ministry after his Damascus Rd experience. Ananias was a brave soul. He was apparently completely sold out and reliant upon God for strength, guidance, and wisdom or else I believe Paul may have never have been used as largely as he was. (Obviously, God had this planned from the beginning...) Saul was led by his "cohorts", if you will, into the town of Damascus, where Ananias lived. During the time of Saul's stay, Ananias was spoken to by the Lord about something very important. God wanted Ananias to go see and pray over Saul. This is a terrifying thought considering Ananias was a vocal believer and follower of God, and Saul was a well-known Christian killer, and God hater.

Ananias had the same response I would have, "What!? Seriously!? Have you heard what this guy has done? His reputation completely precedes him, how can you expect me to go see this guy? I'm not ready to die!" (My interpretation) But, God continues to explain His reasoning behind his decision, and tells Ananias basically, "Look, just like you, I created this guy. I have special plans for him. Yes, he's done wrong, and there will be consequences for that, but I'm not done with him. I have plans for him, and part of those plans are for you to go and pray with him and help him out. I've already showed that much to him." (again, my interpretation) Needless to say, Ananias goes to the place where Saul was staying; prays over him, talks with him, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit, the scales that were forbidding him from seeing were released, he was baptised, he ate to regain his strength and then he "immediately began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues..."

And, in case you didn't know, Paul becomes one of the GREATEST evangelists and preachers to ever walk the face of the earth. Now why was I so drawn to Ananias tonight? Because of this: Ananias did not care about how stupid it sounded, how crazy other people might think he was, or even about his own fears... all he cared about was following the clear and deliberate instructions that God had given him to follow. He knew it could be tough...I mean it was a murderer, a liar, a man that hated God and people that loved God. This was a guy that was rough and tough in every way possible. The whole reason he was in the area was because he was on a trip to judge and kill more Christians anyway. Yet, regardless of logic or popular opinion Ananias followed the direction of God and the Holy Spirit, and went to see Saul. And because of that Saul became Paul who was transformed and changed by the power of God, and became crazy about wrecking Hell.

What's the point for you and for me? How many times has God spoken to us and asked us to help a stinky homeless man, or love a poor white man, or embrace a single black mother, or financially bless a lonely mexican husband and we turned and deliberately ignored it? For several logical reasons I'm sure. Such as: We don't know how they will spend that money, or I can't be seen with that person, or they could do it on their own if they really tried, or loneliness if simply a choice. Here's what God spoke to me: Why don't we quit trying to logic our way out of following the directions, and follow the ultimate direction... "Love your neighbor as yourself"? Because if we were honest, if we were in need we would want someone to be just like Ananias and help us out regardless of reputation and circumstance. Who cares if they don't look, act, or talk like us? Who cares if it seems impossible or difficult? If God's given you the dream of vision, GO FOR IT, and support others who are chasing directions from God as well.

We can't follow God and follow people, it's one of the other. I can't let God live in and direct my heart and listen to my head every single time. God speaks in several ways, but we won't know anything about those ways unless we train ourselves to listen, and follow. What is God telling YOU to do today?

Society Haters

New Moon... A HUGE blockbuster movie that was just released as part of the continuing saga of "Twilight". I don't care for the movie personally, however, it seems as if most of teen girls in America do! In only 3 days in the theaters, the movie is heading towards breaking 2 box office records,expecting to beat out The Dark Knight. The movie is being shown in 4,024 theaters, and in 3 days the total gross for the movie is: $140,700,000... That's right MILLION! But, the "hottness" of Edward is not the only topic of discussion for this movie. I read blogs, Facebooks, and Twitters often (not to stalk...haha) and I've seen a recent trend being spread throughout church communities. So, I pose the question: is New Moon and Twilight treading on the thin line of a "work of Satan"?

There are obvious concerns for religious groups. Blood sucking vampires, scary life altering werewolves. A young woman incredibly wrapped up in the love of these two aliens. However, what is the "work of Satan"? Many say it's the pure thought of evil. That it's a glimpse into the "dark side", that we should stay away from the very thought and existence of evil. Which, I totally and completely agree, that we should. In fact, in Proverbs 6 it is said "If you have been snared with the words of your mouth...do this then, my son, and delivery yourself...deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunters hand and like a bird from the hand of the fowler." (Proverbs 6:2-5, NASB)

But, let me pose another way at looking at this. Isn't evil everywhere? Think about this: We are chosen of God, born of HIS image, into HIS likeness, for HIS glory; yet there is evil all around. Why? Because of freedom of choice, REAL love! It's not real love if you can't DECIDE to love them, it's simply forced love. So, through that freedom of choice, that real love, we have been given the chance to choose grace and freedom, or an evil path. So, we live in a world where people, born in HIS image choose evil every day. So, by the reasoning presented in that of many Christians with this movie, and several other societal things, we should stay in our homes and never leave. Which is truly not true, because Jesus' last commandment was to "go into all the nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19, NASB)

So, is there something spiritually wrong with this movie? My personal opinion: no. It's simply a love story about 2 races that shouldn't even be discussing/talking/communicating, yet they fall in a blissful Hollywood love, breaking down racial barriers. So, if anything, I almost see it as a knock on racism. (which it also kind of reminds me of the Woman at the Well story. No Jesus didn't fall in love with her, but he helped her, and loved her, and helped her change her life, when the 2 races should never have been talking in the first place.) I could see the spiritually wrong point if Edward or the werewolf guy were out there, recruiting others to join them in the darkside in order to grow the dark kingdom or something, but that's not the point of the story. Really, it's not even the subpoint.

So, if we are to stay away from the very existence of evil, what are we to do? Here's what I think we should do, discern our OWN convictions, and what to stay away from, and not push them on others. Look, I believe we at the church have created 2 very unfortunate injustices:
1 - VERY immature, excuse driven Christians: What does that mean? Simple, we've taught Christians that if it isn't a gift wrapped, good looking package, and if it doesn't blare God's name everywhere it's not of God so we must stay away. Well, where does that actually happen? CHURCH! So, we've created people that aren't following God, they are simply following church. (If I just ticked you off, please stay with me, you'll understand in a minute) We've taught people to complain about Twilight, but not stand up against the group of Lesbians forming a group in a local High School, when we can't create a prayer group. Basically, we've failed to disciples Christians on how to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12b) Basically, we haven't taught people how to use the gift of discernment, or talk to God about their personal weaknesses. It's easier to create excuses.
2 - Church vs. Society: This one is deadly in the state of youth ministry especially. We've created such a culture of "society is bad" church goers, that we've started a mini war. Let me clear it up by saying this: ALL society isn't bad. Some is, some is out to brainwash you and your children; but not all. The Bible says all things were created in His name. Therefore, dance, movies, laughter, was created by Him... Satan just corrupted it. Here's a better solution I believe - what if CHURCH became part of SOCIETY? No, I'm not talking about conforming and taking the bad things and adopting them into church, I'm talking about learning from society. Because, let me tell you something that I even found hard to swallow a few years ago: Society is winning, and society will not leave! Let's face it, our future church is being mesmerized by lights, music, fun atmosphere,and love stories. Is it the TRADITIONAL way? No... maybe it's not how we'd like them to learn but it's a way to teach them valuable life lessons. What if the church took the opportunity to incorporate some of society's "tactics" to draw, used MTV's idea of discipleship (cradle to grave, Nickelodeon-MTV), and implemented their way of spreading the word through creating a buzz.

I realize, this could be a controversial blog today, and I'm ok and prepared for that. My goal isn't to say that any one person is wrong or right... it's to say, that I think we Christians are "more known for what we are against, rather than what we are for." (Mark Batterson, In a pit with a lion on a snowy day) I am against Satan terrorizing our kids, and our lives, but as I recall in 1 Corinthians 6:14 "Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up THROUGH HIS POWER." (NASB) It also says later in The Bible,that the same power that raised Christ, is the same power that is within us. So, what does that mean? We have the power to walk away from evil when evil is about to overtake us. It's not that we shun the world, because as we saw earlier evil is everywhere... it's that we stay away from evil that we can't handle at that time,because we aren't at the spritual level. It's time that we learn to discern what we need to stay away from, and what we need to engage in battle.

Jesus didn't stay out of evil society, in fact He was all up in the mix of it. I don't ever want to be so known in my community that I'm against a beer, but never known that I'm for Jesus Christ. Because if the God that raised Christ from the dead also raises us with His power, what I'm FOR will fix what I'm AGAINST! New Moon is probably NOT a tool of Satan used to brainwash your child. However, if you feel your child isn't at the spiritual place to sift through this subject, or if you just have a strong personal convition with this subject, then yes, stay away from this movie; but let's not give Satan more credit than he's due. I will not see it simply because it's not my "cup of tea". (Yes, I did really just say that...)

Let me leave you with this: I'm not for the darkness, and I'm not for everything society does; I simply stand for the thought that we could learn something from society in church, and for the thought that we as Christians don't need to wage war, we need to baptize in love.

(i hope i have not offended anyone too greatly, that was not my goal. God has just been working with me on several things, and this is one that was brought to the forefront of my mind in the past few weeks.)

My personal mission

With churches, parachurches, and many other ministries popping up seemingly everywhere pastors, ministers, or whatever other name you would like to bestow upon them are abundant. But is that any different than before?
We are all commissioned to go out and "baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit." what exactly does that mean? Those compose the Trinity. Meaning they all represent the Creator, or the Father, or God. So, what do they all encompass as far as attributes? LOVE! Unselfish, neverending, non judgmental, helpful LOVE!
The kind of love the represent is the kind you and I can't fathom. It's incredible, crazy, indescribable love. It's the kind of love that respects a decision, honors a choice, embraces a fault, and forgets a wrongdoing. It's the kind of love that doesn't pay attention to your past or where you've been, but believes in your future and focuses on where you're going.
An insane love.
The word baptize is defined by my friend Merriam-Webster as: "to purify or cleanse spiritually especially by a purging experience or ordeal."
So we are to purify or cleanse people in the name of the Trinity or LOVE! The way we represent baptism today is by submersion. So we purify beginning with an experience of submersion to represent the power of the Trinity. But it goes far above physical submersion.
We are commissioned to baptize people in the Trinity or LOVE! So, while I believe physical baptism is important, I believe constant, neverending, non judgemental, insane baptism of the Trinity is also important. Because the Word doesn't say to stop after becoming physically baptized. Just says to baptize EVERYONE!
So, if we are to baptize people in the name of the Trinity, we are to help purify them with the experience of submersing them in their name- LOVE!
Your NAME is defines YOU! Gods name is love by His characteristics.
So, in saying all that I finish with this. With all the new ministries popping up everwhere, and all pastors coming into the fold- aren't we all pastors/ministers, and haven't we always been? Just because you don't preach on Sunday/Wednesday or make visits, doesn't mean you are excused to judge, hate, hurt, cripple, and be reckless with your words and actions. I commit this: what if you have a more important job because you ARENT "supposed" to?
So, baptize in the name of te Trinity.... Let's help God purify people with the experience of the submersion of the Trinity- insane, crazy, unfathomable, indescribable, non judgemental, forgetful, embracing.... LOVE!!!

Fence Riders

It's been a while since I've blogged, but here comes another.

Today, as I was washing mine and my wife's cars (taking advantage of the weather), I had my Ipod on shuffle, as usual, and one of my favorite songs came on. "Fence Riders" by Jimmy Needham. As I was listening, the chorus of this song absolutely grabbed my thoughts and my heart like never before the 100 times I've heard it. Read this:

Can I sing about my maker

And have you not roll your eyes

Can I weep about my Savior

And the way He died

I know it don't make sense

To those who ride the fence

But I'm sold out to Christ

So, when this grabbed me the way it did, I began to think and process scripture and things, and obviously began to ignore any other song for about 30-45 minutes. And here's what stuck out to me.

Colossians 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive your the reward of the inheritance." (NASB)

I was immediately convicted of judging peoples personal God decisions in their lives. I began to think about all the decisions that I, and SO many others have made, that people didn't like or understand, and even the ones that others made that I didn't like or understand. I mean, the fact of following God and trusting HIM only in their lives was never questioned, I just didn't like the decision, because it didn't make sense, so I automatically wrote it off as "wrong" or "senseless". And I know others have done that to decisions I've made, throughout my entire life, and others.

As I look back on some of those decisions, maybe some of them were weird, strange, or uncalled for, but on each one of my decisions I believed I had heard from the Lord and I trusted and followed that, with ALL my heart.

I recently saw a video online of a man jumping from a helicopter and wrestling a Blue Marlin in the ocean. My first thought was "WOW", and then I wondered "What the heck is wrong with that joker?" He willingly allowed that to be posted online, knowing that people wouldn't like or understand his course of action or his decision to put his life in danger. But to him it made TOTAL sense!

The reason so much judgment is made on decisions for people to do what God is leading them to do, regardless of the "sense" it makes is because: What people do not UNDERSTAND, people often will not WITHSTAND.

Doesn't Christ call us to "Carry our cross", and to "not be conformed to the ways of the world, but TRANSFORMED by the renewing of our minds"? Doesn't that pretty much mean to do what Christ says and don't ask questions? My mom used to always tell me, as an answer to my unending questions of "why?" - "Because I said so." That was enough for me. My MOM told me to! My MOM said that I should do this, she's never deliberately led me astray. I need to listen to her, she TOLD ME TO!

But so often, when we feel God leading us in a certain direction, we weigh it in these measurements: What will people say? Will this "push me forward"? Is this a smart professional decision? Will people get mad at me? Will they really understand? And maybe the whole time we're weighing our options based on man, God is saying, "Because I said so."

Check this out: 1 Corinthians 2:14 "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." (NASB)

God may lead us to do some things that don't make sense to man, but are PRICELESS to Him!

SO, how can we not be the "natural man" stated in this verse? Simple: accepting the Holy Spirit in our lives, and let HIM lead us. THEN, we won't worry about what WE think of others decisions, and we won't worry about what others say about our decisions, "because they are spiritually appraised."

You see, when you accept the Holy Spirit of God in your life, and begin to let HIM lead and guide and direct you in new ways,allow HIM to help you grow and understand the KINGDOM of GOD in your life, then you accepting the MIND of GOD!!! (1 Corinthians 2:11)

So, here's my thing: I refuse to judge or pass judgment, conciously, of other people's personal decisions of following God in radical or different ways anymore. I refuse to allow people or circumstances dwarf or question my decisions that I feel God is leading me to make anymore. Because, if they AND I have the mind of God in our lives, who are they, or who am I for that matter, to question someone that clearly follows God in their lives, and is making a decision based on that. By telling someone that the decision they are making by following God is "stupid" or "dumb" or "nonsense".... guess what... I'm saying that I'm closer to God than them, and I have a stronger hold on the "mind of God" than they do. They should listen to ME, instead of the voice of God they've been following all along. NOT COOL!

So all those people that are questioning the decisions that fellow FOLLOWERS of God are making. All of you that have a problem with decisions that your FAMILY, and BODY are making in their own lives, all of you out there that dislike someone making a personal decision that helps them follow God and get closer to Him... stop riding the fence. You can't have the mind of God AND know it all! Because the mind of MAN knows nothing in comparison to the mind of God!

So, again: Can I sing about my Maker and have you not roll your eyes? Can I weep about my Savior and the way He died? I know it don't make sense to those who ride the fence...but I'm sold out to Christ! (Fence Riders, Jimmy Needham)

Any decision you make in your life, whether it's singing about your Savior in a crowd, or if it's weeping about how incredible your God is. Or maybe it's saying "no" to a few things in order to say "yes" to Him even more. Whatever your decisions in life may be.... Don't do it for the glory of man, do it for the glory of God. And your God Family, your BODY, that accepts the same Mind of God that you accept, will understand. The rest- pray they will stop riding the fence! Just make sure you're hearing from God!

(I promise this is not in response to anything in my personal life, or any career changes recently. It's simply something that the Lord laid on my heart, and connected scriptures with. It's a mini sermon that I believe a lot of people need to hear/read in order for encouragement in their spiritual walk. Pass it on/comment with thoughts.)

Regenerating Grace

Have you ever been reading The Bible and came across a familiar passage, and then upon reading it further and some study you find something in it that absolutely blows you away? Man, I read this and I about fell out of my office chair. This junk is SICK!!!

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come." (NASB)

Nothing new there right? Heard it a million times, powerful and life changing but we've still heard it all of our lives. But I decided to look it up in the Matthew Henry's Commentary. And when I did I read this, "Regenerating grace creates a new world in the soul; all things are new."

Ok, so it breaks it down right? This isn't the kicker but think about it a little bit. God loves us SO much, and cares SO much about our promises that He has given us that He is willing to forget eveyrthing from the past and make us new. ALL OVER AGAIN! In order to achieve the promise, we must be willing to sacrifice. (Hebrews 11:17-19) So in order to help us achieve our promises, and achieve the holiness we can achieve with and through Him, we are to be made new! I'm NOT THE SAME PERSON I WAS YESTERDAY!!

But here's the part that took me back: "regenerating grace"...WHAT? So I decided to look up the word "regenerating". I mean, I knew what it meant but I wanted to make sure. Here are the definitions I saw that were most relevant:
- to form again (ok, good one)
- to change radically, for the better (another good one)
- to restore to original strength or properties (HOLY STINKIN' COW)

Ok, so here's really what this verse is saying. You, by being YOU, have dilluted the original function and power of the cross of grace, but IF you will simply come to ME (Jesus) and let ME wrap MY arms around you, quit worrying about other stuff, the grace that I died for, will be restored to it's ORIGINAL strength and property.

The grace that raised Jesus Christ from the grave, the grace, that Saul later turned to Paul, was given after cursing and killing God's people and His name. The grace that Zaccheus experienced at his dinner table; the grace that Matthew the tax collector experienced when asked to "Follow Me". THAT will be restored to it's original strength or property. DUDE, that PUMPS ME UP!!! In order to restore grace to it's original property and strength SOMETHING must die. SOMETHING must pass away.Why? Because WE can't handle the true strength and property of real grace! WE can't understand, fathom, or grasp the reality of it all, but when we allow our flesh man to die, and the spirit man to take over, we CAN grasp it and restore it. SOMETHING must die and be "gone" in order for regenerated grace to become NEW in my life!

Maybe I'm a little behind, and maybe I'm the only one that this pumps up, but I'm telling you I'm jacked up today because of this. Grace can be regenerated in my life, by allowing there to be "less of me, and more of you." Holy stinkin' cow!I love regenerated grace!