Isaiah 49:7
"Thus says the LORD,
The Redeemer of Israel,
their Holy One,
To Him whom man
despises,
To Him whom the nation
abhors,
To the Servant of rulers:
"Kings shall see and arise,
Princes also shall
worship,
Because of the LORD who
is faithful,
The Holy One of Israel;
And He has chosen You."
This is one of those prophecies of Jesus that has God Speaking to Jesus, about the days when people will wake up and say, "Hey, Jesus is worth worshipping (divine)." If you think he may be referring to the nation of Israel here, read the whole chapter and you'll see why its basic math that this is Jesus.
If you're not used to passages like this then here is one that's similar, to stretch your mind...
But look at the names:
"...Him whom man despises..."
"...Him whom the nation abhors..."
"...the Servant of rulers..."
Are these some of the names of Jesus that don't make it onto the Zondervan roster? Along with "Friend of Sinners", "Glutton", "Drunkard", "Demoniac", "Worker of the power of Beelzebub"...
How about His description in Is. 52:14-15
There, he is called "Marred" in face and body more than anyone else! He sprinkles the nations with his blood, and kings are in awe of Him...
Jesus was a friend of sinners.
He came to love the outsiders
and fling wide the gates to God for them.
But the insiders didn't get it.
and they flung him out.
but that's how he accomplished His goal.
so now,we don't have to worry about being
flung out
by "insiders", do we?
...and I don't know exactly what I feel about the neglect of these names of Jesus. They bring me a lot of encouragement and comfort. I really like them.
...and I wonder what dark thing could cause the people who call themselves His followers to not only neglect these names of Jesus, but to lacquer Him over in such a muck of ungrace and religious form that he's hidden to the honestly hungry soul...
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Monday, March 19, 2007
Jim Wallis Speech re: War in Iraq
you all know I'm not a news hog, but Read Jim Wallis' speech. Don't skip it. Definitely important. We are poised, brothers and sisters. Poised.
CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE
Thoughts about Lists
Sometimes I perceive the need to say:
"There is no list of things we've done that we can prepare in this life and bring to the throne of God. We don't present credentials, there."
Matt. 7
...and...
"There is a list of things we've done that awaits us there."
Daniel 7
Rev. 20
...and...
"Though we can't bring a dossier/portfolio, what went around does really come around..."
Rev. 14
...and...
"G.I.G.O."
1 Cor.3 Trial by Fire
"There is no list of things we've done that we can prepare in this life and bring to the throne of God. We don't present credentials, there."
Matt. 7
...and...
"There is a list of things we've done that awaits us there."
Daniel 7
Rev. 20
...and...
"Though we can't bring a dossier/portfolio, what went around does really come around..."
Rev. 14
...and...
"G.I.G.O."
1 Cor.3 Trial by Fire
Sunday, March 18, 2007
One hour at the Park
Down the street two blocks is the Northside Children's Park. Seth and I go there now and then to play.
Yesterday we were there for an hour.
I played tag.
Pushed kids on swings.
Re-
connected with kids who've known us all this time.
They haven't been out much
since the cold set in...
When We'd been there for a few minutes,
a little guy, probably in the 5th grade, produced a 4 or 5 inch knife. I approached him and told him to hand it over. He passed it to his buddy. They passed it back and forth. Finally they listened to reason.
I dropped it in the sewer.
I made sure to tag that kid and include him in the games, showering blessing and fun on him. It warmed him up just fine.
Then, about 30 minutes in, we were all getting our hats stolen and chasing each other and one kid got mad, grabbed a crutch from a little girl whose leg was injured, and proceeded to pursue and menace the kid with his hat... or was it a shoe?
I don't remember, but I do remember that when he was swinging it around I grabbed it and told him to cut it out or leave the park. I was a grown-up. It takes a village.
Was that little guy going to pull a gun?
Were his family bangers who'd cap me on the way home?
I can't care about that.
I have to add a drop of Father to this 'hood while I live.
That boy left and returned with a big piece of lumber, which he menaced with. I took it again, and sent him off. He left uttering terrible threats about killing and shooting and what his cousins would do...
So that's how we played yesterday. Not a single parent around. Not a single supervising adult, outside the dope-boys on the corner.
Hey, if you're a pastor, or a church person, and you read this:
We need actual help.
The roof leaks.
Our people live skinny, without money enough to take the time to work the fields of the Lord without suffering loss in their family income.
These fields are ripe.
Why don't you help support the work in the field, so we can be more available to minister to our neighbors?
Saturday, March 17, 2007
News on Tom
Our beloved Tom has been re-classified in the KY Correctional System. He has been downgraded from Medium to Minimum Security. This means he'll move outside the big fence, and have a lot more freedoms. His visiting hours and times will change, as well as some other stuff.
He continues to serve the Lord as the Chaplain's Assistant. Keep him in prayer.
Check out this LINK to his prison.
He continues to serve the Lord as the Chaplain's Assistant. Keep him in prayer.
Check out this LINK to his prison.
John Wallis is coming back to town!
For those of you who haven't had the pleasure, the Wallises are a local family that has spent the last year or two living in Delaware. they adopt kids. Lots of kids. They have 15 total, now, I think. That includes 4 of their natural-born kids and a whole lot of kids from all over the world.
Their newest, Seth, is still in China, where Sydney is picking him up in the next 24 hours. They'll come home soon, and the family will be set to rejoicing over him.
Then, John will start his new job in Cinci, and they'll move back here in the spring.
Please pray for the sale of all their houses and whatnot. That stuff gets pesky, and they really need the Lord's blessing in it.
Pray for all the people in the church that they left behind to forgive them for moving away when they went to Delaware. That seemed difficult to understand at the time for some, but when you have all these kids and an MDiv and no churches want you to minister, you gotta go where there's a job that'll support.
Now that job is in Cincy. Totally...
Tom Jewel News!
Our beloved Tom has been re-classified in the KY Correctional System. He has been downgraded from Medium to Minimum Security. This means he'll move outside the big fence, and have a lot more freedoms. His visiting hours and times will change, as well as some other stuff.
He continues to serve the Lord as the Chaplain's Assistant. Keep him in prayer.
Check out this LINK to his prison.
He continues to serve the Lord as the Chaplain's Assistant. Keep him in prayer.
Check out this LINK to his prison.
Me Today
This is me today. Simple as that. I have no batteries for my camera, so I can only share with you what is close by. I'm going to take Seth out to the park. Peace to you on a gentle Saturday. Check out my new Skatepark Initiative blog. I'm entering the fray to get Cincy on the map, skatepark-wise.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Funeral
Yesterday Seth and I drove up for my best friend's father's funeral.
jonathan's dad passed on the 9th. He had been sick for a long time, very sick.
The most important thing I have to say about this man's passing is that he absolutely loved the Lord Jesus in this earthly life. He yielded. He bowed. He worshipped Jesus in his last days and hours.
Bill Fischer's passing has left a tear in the world. I'm listening to Jonathan right now, on the phone with a grieving family member. The world is torn by death. For us there is sorrow at the loss of his light. There are questions about how life will go on, as we refresh our understanding that this is just a waiting period before we enter the throne room of Jesus...
When Seth and I walked into the church, tthere was a baby in aa carseat right in front of the open casket. Right there, I took seth aside and we talked about what life and death are all about. Ask him about it. He can tell you.
We stayed over at Jonathan's house, Seth (5) and I. We weren't going to, but I decided (in the Lord) that we should stay for this morning's interrement service. So in a few minutes Seth and I will go to the cemetary to see the coffin lowered.
Seth is enjoying Jonathan and Rosina's two daughters' company. They flat out play! What a wonderful backdrop for mourning. Lilliana and Vanessa--both just as pretty and lively as their names.
Lilly sits on my knee, right now,wanting to "help", so I'm going to post and go. I'll fill you in more, later.
jonathan's dad passed on the 9th. He had been sick for a long time, very sick.
The most important thing I have to say about this man's passing is that he absolutely loved the Lord Jesus in this earthly life. He yielded. He bowed. He worshipped Jesus in his last days and hours.
Bill Fischer's passing has left a tear in the world. I'm listening to Jonathan right now, on the phone with a grieving family member. The world is torn by death. For us there is sorrow at the loss of his light. There are questions about how life will go on, as we refresh our understanding that this is just a waiting period before we enter the throne room of Jesus...
When Seth and I walked into the church, tthere was a baby in aa carseat right in front of the open casket. Right there, I took seth aside and we talked about what life and death are all about. Ask him about it. He can tell you.
We stayed over at Jonathan's house, Seth (5) and I. We weren't going to, but I decided (in the Lord) that we should stay for this morning's interrement service. So in a few minutes Seth and I will go to the cemetary to see the coffin lowered.
Seth is enjoying Jonathan and Rosina's two daughters' company. They flat out play! What a wonderful backdrop for mourning. Lilliana and Vanessa--both just as pretty and lively as their names.
Lilly sits on my knee, right now,wanting to "help", so I'm going to post and go. I'll fill you in more, later.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
In a conversation about the political goings on of the NEA, and how my life and ministry skirt the margins of such things, I received this comment: Let them fight for the power. Interesting, and not my version of good Christians. I'm grateful you aren't joining them. You are focused on the real work of a Christian: taking care of others and spreading the word.
This from someone who has known me for decades, from a close perspective. What an age we live in. Its confusing, with the most public and obvious forms of religion called Christian so utterly subverted in what they've called a "Culture War" for "the heart and soul of our Nation".
that kind of language is utter crap.
I do recall some nationalism surrounding the purpose of Jesus. Caiaphas was the one who coined that phrase. That was the idea of those nationalistic Pharisees and Saducees who schemed up the cross. Little did they know how that cross would fulfill the Blessing on Abraham . Here I stand, grafted into the nation that they would have kept me out of. They would have voted me off the island because I was cut on the 2nd and not the 8th day, and my parents didn't wring the heads off a couple turtledoves. Amaaing.
And I marvel at the Spiritual Kingdom of Jesus--one of Many Nations, Tribes and Tongues
I marvel that this Spiritual Kingdom breaks into the physical realm, affecting the world in obvious and historical ways... yet we belong to another place...
Worthy is the Lamb Who Was Slain to receive highest Honor and Glory and Power and Praise!
As I watch that nationalistic, self-interested thing parade by--that thing that calls itself "church"--that golden fortress...that political machine... I think of how God has proclaimed that He will frustrate this world's wisdom with the folly of His wisdom.
Take a moment to consider the first 3 chapters of 1st Corinthians. Soon enough, there won't be a lot of affluence to distract us from these greater things.
This from someone who has known me for decades, from a close perspective. What an age we live in. Its confusing, with the most public and obvious forms of religion called Christian so utterly subverted in what they've called a "Culture War" for "the heart and soul of our Nation".
that kind of language is utter crap.
I do recall some nationalism surrounding the purpose of Jesus. Caiaphas was the one who coined that phrase. That was the idea of those nationalistic Pharisees and Saducees who schemed up the cross. Little did they know how that cross would fulfill the Blessing on Abraham . Here I stand, grafted into the nation that they would have kept me out of. They would have voted me off the island because I was cut on the 2nd and not the 8th day, and my parents didn't wring the heads off a couple turtledoves. Amaaing.
And I marvel at the Spiritual Kingdom of Jesus--one of Many Nations, Tribes and Tongues
I marvel that this Spiritual Kingdom breaks into the physical realm, affecting the world in obvious and historical ways... yet we belong to another place...
Worthy is the Lamb Who Was Slain to receive highest Honor and Glory and Power and Praise!
As I watch that nationalistic, self-interested thing parade by--that thing that calls itself "church"--that golden fortress...that political machine... I think of how God has proclaimed that He will frustrate this world's wisdom with the folly of His wisdom.
Take a moment to consider the first 3 chapters of 1st Corinthians. Soon enough, there won't be a lot of affluence to distract us from these greater things.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Eastern Fence Lizard
It was an Eastern Fence Lizard. Definitely. The problem was that I was only looking at the mature specimens. The one I saw was clearly a juvenile. How silly of me. Haha. Welcome to my world. That's my heart. I just want to identify turtles and snakes and lizards, but God has called me to the most risky of business... Pray for this fool.
Some kind of Lizard
Spent a Wonderful morning with Seth. We drove over to Eden Park, visited the Conservatory, played on the swings and stuff, and looked at ducks. But as we exited the Conservatory, Seth spied a lizard!
I've seen these before around here, and they always surprise me. You see, I grew up in New York, and there are NO lizards from my neck of the woods. Our winters were just too cold for lizards to survive, I guess. At least, in my 13 years of creek-stomping, I never saw a lizard, and I'm a reptile fiend.
So, what was this lizard? I go on the internet and google around... There are a lot of lizards in Ohio, I guess.
My guess about this one is that it is a female 5-lined skink, or a Fence Lizard. It's body-type says, "Skink", but its lines were very thin on a medium brown background. No matter. I just wanted you to know how great it is to be with Seth on our first day with weather over 70 degrees.
Thinness
Today I had the joy of spending minutes with Erwin, my friend pastor at North Pres., around the corner...
During the course of our conversation, he mentioned the concept of "Thinness", from Celtic Spirituality... I was fascinated by this simple concept.
The idea is that there are places in the earth where the Spiritual Realm and the Physical Realm are "closer". That is, the separation, or veil, between them is Thinner. It is very like the thinness of a veil, such as the one that separated us from the Holy of Holies, in the temple and tabernacle, before the New Covenant...
In these thin places, it is easier to percieve and participate in the Spiritual Realm. This idea isn't distinctly Christian, but has its roots (to the Celt) in pre-Xian religions... and in this case, there is a possibility that those religions are in response to an actual phenomenon.
In my view of this "Thinness", which is not a Celtic view, nor a view which is formed by my past life before Christ...
...my understanding of a "Thinness" is not formed by Celtic origins, nor by any other historical origin. My Understanding isn't formed by my past, nor that of any other person. My understanding of this and many other things is not formed by the road behind, but by the City and the King which lie ahead.
When Jeremiah tells us to look to "Ancient Paths" I look way back, past the Celts, past the Patriarch. I remember that Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." In looking for this most ancient path, I find the One who says to us today, "I am the Way". Jesus, Himself. Present, now. Here...
And this place where I sit, and this air I breathe, and this earth I tread...
...become thinner. I become a conduit of the very miracle power--the very Grace of Jesus. My prayers--bowls of incense--are presented to His throne. As I am shown this by the Spirit, in the Scriptures, and as I surrender my eyes of flesh for eyes of faith, I am humbled. Whether by my sickness, or healing, weakness, or strength, persecution, or vindication, I am His fragrance.
Suddenly, every moment burgeons with immeasurable possibility. Suddenly, I can hear the wings of angels (more like a 747 going overhead than any kind of fluttering-what were the renaissance painters THINKING?)).
Thinness is upon me. And the things of this world... their value... their hold on me... it grows weaker. Like water in soup, the flavor of earthly comforts and the accoutrements of human traffic grow weaker... thinner.
I don't know about a "Celtic Way". Sounds like fun reading. Sounds like good marketing. Sounds a bit trendy, what with the whole Braveheart thing. But I do know about the One who is the Way. As I meditate on Him, His word, His Kingdom, my faith grows.
Yes, its a good thing to be a person who gets thinned. Let's get thinned.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Needless to say, we're ready for our Springtime weather, here at the Ross house. Over the last two months, it has been constant sickness... Seth just finished a cough, and now Andrew's down with a throat and chest thing. The flu hit about a month ago, and 3 of us spent 2 weeks with that. mIne was followed by a touch of the Bronchitis, which I had to use medicine to kick. 
So we're really grateful for the longer sunlight and warmer days of March, here. Its beautifully sunny today, with warmth coming in off the front windows of our entry way. Judy is on her 2nd week-long business trip in two months. This isn't a bad thing. Her job is really great, adn we're all grateful that we can live in this way, with her working out of a home office. 
I'm set to take some scouts skateboarding at Ollies this Friday Night, too. This will be my first time skating since Novemberish. I'm hopeful to arrive home stoked and injury free. Will you join me in prayer? If you're asking yourself what a 35 year old man is doing skateboarding, hush.
The Fever--for more than Cow Bell
venice beach is a bean salad, man. Over there, I'm full at ease. In LA, there is no contoversy to a guy who wants to follow Jesus... a guy who calls others to live among the poorer Americans... a guy who calls out the obvious hypocrisy in our "big house of power" way of discipleship...
Over there... well, I could do what I do and find a lot of christian folks unsurprised, and a lot of pagan folks who would be refreshed...
Here, where our city lies in a kind of "Americana Christian Culture Religious Right" political death grip, people are very very galvanized to the message of Jesus. They've been, a Billy Graham said, "innoculated" against the real message of Jesus.
Are you familiar with what Billy said about that?
Do you know what an "innoculation" or "vaccination" or "immunization" are made of? Click the links to read the Wikipedia links for those terms.
So are you familiar with that idea? It is the introduction of a weakened or dead version of the real thing in order to familiarize the immune system with the threat. This prepares the defenses to fend off the affects of the introduction of the "Real Thing".
I know it might not be nice sounding, but faith in our Lord Jesus is a lot like a virus. It is Caught long before it is Taught. It spreads through communicability. People see the hope, the joy, the righteousness, the LOVE of a true disciple. This might mean that there are fewer true disciples than we may wish. This may mean we ourselves are less true than we may have wanted to accept. Yet it is a solid analogy, that faith is like a virus... It is caught and communicated. It spreads and brings changes.
It's like a virus in reverse. Whereas a virus spreads destruction to the individual cells of a body, leading to sickness and death, the Faith I speak of spreads life to an already sick church and a dead world. An "infection" of a dead cell-=the soul of a person who is dead in sins (Eph.2)--results in an awakening to life in the Spirit. This is the whole "Born-again" thing. This is basic Bible.
So the dynamic of immunization is at work in the earth. Satan and the world he controls are in conspiracy with the godless leanings of our flesh to shake us free of the Voice of God that convicts us of sin. If we listen to the voice of God, we'll fall at His feet in worship and repentance, relying totally on the Grace given in Christ. If we keep that up, we'll be so filled with the holy spirit and the joy of our hope that others will catch the "cold". Or shall I say the "fever"?
and no amount of cow bell can touch this fever, my friends.
yet with the prevalence of weakened and dead versions of the Kingdom of God, many people are immune to the strong, true form of the Gospel of Christ... We have received a weakened version of the Gospel that doesn't touch the heart of our lives, displacing our concerns over our wealth and poverty, status and security, nationalism and materialism...
The churches of this city and this nation are often guilty of preaching "another Jesus", made up of the sayings and teachings of Jesus. Few are the times when a Sunday morning will have a "vertical" orientation, with the actual Person of Jesus centered in our worship.
We talk about him, but not to Him.
We sing about him, even about singing to him--listen to the words! It's almost unbelievable to find myself gathered with hundreds of people, every week, for months, and singing about singing to him.
Meanwhile, there aren't healings and movement of power. There's a lack of holiness and conviction of sin. There's little contrition adn repentance, since the message that bring them is not conducive to a successful 10 million dollare building project...
Do you feel me?
Isn't this starkly SUB-Christian?
Starkly so.
Yet this is the prevalent form.
How many sundays have seen the congregation LOST IN PRAYER and WORSHIP before the throne of God? How many messages of pastors on Sundays have NECESSITATED action and repentance? How many teaachers are taking up the prophetic edge and commanding the people to OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST?
a weakened gospel.
turning from it may cost us, but the benefit is JOY, LoVe, Power of the Holy Spirit...
truly a return to revolution...
Spirit-filled life...
fundamentally spiritual
bleeding grace in the world.
testifying to the resurrection and empty tomb of Jesus
laid out at his feet...
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Another shot of our pre-Christmas jiu-jitsu...
In the outer Banks (OBX), Andrew and I began work on his jiu-jitsu. We've continued, and I'm pretty convinced that I could/should start teaching locally. I'm looking into the possibilities of starting a local business, building private student clientele, and developing a good work through that...
I think MA has been a good thing in my life. Like Skateboarding, its a throwaway--I'll be glad to leave it behind when I go to meet the Lord in the air.
L.
A fever that no amount of cow bell can remedy...
venice beach is a bean salad, man. Over there, I'm full at ease. In LA, there is no contoversy to a guy who wants to follow Jesus... a guy who calls others to live among the poorer Americans... a guy who calls out the obvious hypocrisy in our "big house of power" way of discipleship...
Over there... well, I could do what I do and find a lot of christian folks unsurprised, and a lot of pagan folks who would be refreshed...
Here, where our city lies in a kind of "Americana Christian Culture Religious Right" political death grip, people are very very galvanized to the message of Jesus. They've been, a Billy Graham said, "innoculated" against the real message of Jesus.
Are you familiar with what Billy said about that?
Do you know what an "innoculation" or "vaccination" or "immunization" are made of? Click the links to read the Wikipedia links for those terms.
So are you familiar with that idea? It is the introduction of a weakened or dead version of the real thing in order to familiarize the immune system with the threat. This prepares the defenses to fend off the affects of the introduction of the "Real Thing".
I know it might not be nice sounding, but faith in our Lord Jesus is a lot like a virus. It is Caught long before it is Taught. It spreads through communicability. People see the hope, the joy, the righteousness, the LOVE of a true disciple. This might mean that there are fewer true disciples than we may wish. This may mean we ourselves are less true than we may have wanted to accept. Yet it is a solid analogy, that faith is like a virus... It is caught and communicated. It spreads and brings changes.
It's like a virus in reverse. Whereas a virus spreads destruction to the individual cells of a body, leading to sickness and death, the Faith I speak of spreads life to an already sick church and a dead world. An "infection" of a dead cell-=the soul of a person who is dead in sins (Eph.2)--results in an awakening to life in the Spirit. This is the whole "Born-again" thing. This is basic Bible.
So the dynamic of immunization is at work in the earth. Satan and the world he controls are in conspiracy with the godless leanings of our flesh to shake us free of the Voice of God that convicts us of sin. If we listen to the voice of God, we'll fall at His feet in worship and repentance, relying totally on the Grace given in Christ. If we keep that up, we'll be so filled with the holy spirit and the joy of our hope that others will catch the "cold". Or shall I say the "fever"?
and no amount of cow bell can touch this fever, my friends.
yet with the prevalence of weakened and dead versions of the Kingdom of God, many people are immune to the strong, true form of the Gospel of Christ... We have received a weakened version of the Gospel that doesn't touch the heart of our lives, displacing our concerns over our wealth and poverty, status and security, nationalism and materialism...
The churches of this city and this nation are often guilty of preaching "another Jesus", made up of the sayings and teachings of Jesus. Few are the times when a Sunday morning will have a "vertical" orientation, with the actual Person of Jesus centered in our worship.
We talk about him, but not to Him.
We sing about him, even about singing to him--listen to the words! It's almost unbelievable to find myself gathered with hundreds of people, every week, for months, and singing about singing to him.
Meanwhile, there aren't healings and movement of power. There's a lack of holiness and conviction of sin. There's little contrition adn repentance, since the message that bring them is not conducive to a successful 10 million dollare building project...
Do you feel me?
Isn't this starkly SUB-Christian?
Starkly so.
Yet this is the prevalent form.
How many sundays have seen the congregation LOST IN PRAYER and WORSHIP before the throne of God? How many messages of pastors on Sundays have NECESSITATED action and repentance? How many teaachers are taking up the prophetic edge and commanding the people to OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST?
a weakened gospel.
turning from it may cost us, but the benefit is JOY, LoVe, Power of the Holy Spirit...
truly a return to revolution...
Spirit-filled life...
fundamentally spiritual
bleeding grace in the world.
testifying to the resurrection and empty tomb of Jesus
laid out at his feet...
I was thinking of this day, today.
...with the cold stretching on, and flu season lingering long in the house, I remember warmly the November day i spent on "Venice Beach", skating and hanging with homeless guys...
peace Iggy.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Speckled Bird
As many of you know, there is another band of Jesus People in Northside, on our side of N-side. They are our brethren and closest neighbors. Travis, Jesse, Pete, Ben, Kelley, Fio, Jenny, and a lot of other folks--The Speckled Bird. They have chosen the name (been chosen by the Name) "Speckled Bird". So, between our neighbors the "Speckled bird", adn us "GrubbyKupp", our N-hood is overflowing with oddly named jesus people communities!
As for the name "Speckled Bird" it comes from Jer. 12:9 in the older translations. Click the Reference to see that verse in an online Bible.
and there's a famous hymn: The Great Speckled Bird, too. Click that title to see the song lyrics.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Street Threat
Yesterday, David and I are in the house, and my phone rings. Its early afternoon. Its one of the women from our church community. She's married one of the guys from our church community. I mean, they are two of our young people who met and got married, moved in and are endeavoring to serve jesus in this little expression of the Bride of Christ...
She's on the verge of hysterical. Voice cracking with fear, but still holding on. She's at the library, five blocks down, where she and her man were looking at stuff. He was tired and wanted to go home. She wanted to stay. So he starts walking home.
Five Blocks.
not far.
one thing though. He's "mixed". Do you know what that means? I have learned, since it truly means nothing to me, that to some, the fact that this guy has light brown skin and somewhat caucasian features puts him in "subhuman adversary" status category.
He leaves the library, crosses the street, and immediately there's a "mobilization" of the street guys. Do you have these guys in your neighborhood? These are the ubiquitous 15-20 something people who "hang" on the "ave" and "chill" with the "crew" (RUN-DMC).
They mobilize. Forming on corners at his 4 and 8 oclock peripherals, they start flanking him at the outset of the first block. he ducks into a convenient store, calls his wife, she calls me, David and I jump into the Tercel and power down there to pick him up.
his wife, as she calls me, has run out of the library, leaving her car behind. When we arrive to pick our bro up, we're also picking up his wife. We return them to the library parking lot, a block away, and our local street guys see the whole pickup.
now, you may be thinking, "this is a little dramatic." "how do you know?"
this same guy got pistol whipped a year and two months back, along with his young cousin, just a block away from that site. Pistol whipping: when someone takes a handgun and flat out HITs you with it.
It broke bone and cut tendons. He looked like meat.
and the guy who did it is one of the street guys from yesterday...
The night before, we were studying Ephesians 6--the Spiritual nature of our conflict. The whole time we pray.
Can you imagine what's swirling around in our neighborhood in the unseen heavenly realms? How much apprehension there must be in the enemy's camp as we focus on jesus, listen to the Spirit adn preach the word--in deeds and lyrics...
Friends, we're in it up to here. Please join us in praying for a major breakthrough in the church. Otherwise, money will come in here and gentrify, setting up a deeply entrenched encampment of even more evil kingdom stuff... This is an "up and coming" neighborhood. That means that either the Jesus people or the Money People's god will have it.
Please pray with us.
Come visit us and feel the air crackle. There's a fight afoot, here...
and join us in thanking God for brothers and sisters who count being beaten in the street a part of normal Christian discipleship.
She's on the verge of hysterical. Voice cracking with fear, but still holding on. She's at the library, five blocks down, where she and her man were looking at stuff. He was tired and wanted to go home. She wanted to stay. So he starts walking home.
Five Blocks.
not far.
one thing though. He's "mixed". Do you know what that means? I have learned, since it truly means nothing to me, that to some, the fact that this guy has light brown skin and somewhat caucasian features puts him in "subhuman adversary" status category.
He leaves the library, crosses the street, and immediately there's a "mobilization" of the street guys. Do you have these guys in your neighborhood? These are the ubiquitous 15-20 something people who "hang" on the "ave" and "chill" with the "crew" (RUN-DMC).
They mobilize. Forming on corners at his 4 and 8 oclock peripherals, they start flanking him at the outset of the first block. he ducks into a convenient store, calls his wife, she calls me, David and I jump into the Tercel and power down there to pick him up.
his wife, as she calls me, has run out of the library, leaving her car behind. When we arrive to pick our bro up, we're also picking up his wife. We return them to the library parking lot, a block away, and our local street guys see the whole pickup.
now, you may be thinking, "this is a little dramatic." "how do you know?"
this same guy got pistol whipped a year and two months back, along with his young cousin, just a block away from that site. Pistol whipping: when someone takes a handgun and flat out HITs you with it.
It broke bone and cut tendons. He looked like meat.
and the guy who did it is one of the street guys from yesterday...
The night before, we were studying Ephesians 6--the Spiritual nature of our conflict. The whole time we pray.
Can you imagine what's swirling around in our neighborhood in the unseen heavenly realms? How much apprehension there must be in the enemy's camp as we focus on jesus, listen to the Spirit adn preach the word--in deeds and lyrics...
Friends, we're in it up to here. Please join us in praying for a major breakthrough in the church. Otherwise, money will come in here and gentrify, setting up a deeply entrenched encampment of even more evil kingdom stuff... This is an "up and coming" neighborhood. That means that either the Jesus people or the Money People's god will have it.
Please pray with us.
Come visit us and feel the air crackle. There's a fight afoot, here...
and join us in thanking God for brothers and sisters who count being beaten in the street a part of normal Christian discipleship.
What the House Church Movement has to say to the Institutional Church:
"YOU CAN DO IT"
models don't matter
love is the key
The Spirit gives us the power...
success robed in failure is the trademark of Jesus
God means it for good when things go "wrong".
weakness is our badge...
sorrow our door...
obscurity our bridge...
people are people...
if you ditch yours now, to have it easier somewhere else, you're going to find the exact same stuff or worse waiting for you. Otherwise, you'll have it easy and never get what jesus was trying to give you NOW and HERE...
when you hang in there and stay,
repenting and pressing into God...
sometimes its your job to lose your job
Fighting the good fight can take you through a few fields
George Washington 3:6 record
that's right. GW only won 3 of his 9 battles.
forged in the fires of failure...
valley forge. no kidding.
the truth is out there
joining Jesus, outside the camp
this is why a lot of the small group and house ministry is so small. Joining with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart can pare down the guest list...
it shouldn't be small because we "sell" small.
A sad thing is that there are people who see the Church of Jesus as divided by Models.
They are listening to "House Church". "House Church" thanks you for your attention, yet desires to point you in the direction of the Source. You know? Lisetening to the Spirit and receiving prophetic, anointed revelation...
I would be happy to see the conferences shut down, if pastors were locking themselves away, daily, seeking in prayer and fervent pursuit of God's FACE...
if the deepest and truest desire of pastors around this nation wer to see the Lord's face, we'd face a great, unified outbreak of the Holy Spirit... Spiritual Christianity that would be relevant to JEsus. He'd understand our liturgy so much better if our lives and homes were places of obedience to him...
there would be an incredible, universal unity in the Church. We'd all be about the same business. We'd all be about the same Saviour's business. We'd all be about the same message...
the same Spirit would be at work among our people, the whole time...
What would I share from "My Movement"?
That we should all consider the Ancient Paths.
that we should all 'set our hearts on Pilgrimage (ps. 84)
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.
For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
"...are the ways of them." is often translated, "who has set his heart on pilgrimage..."
My movement?
Not house church
that's simply one of many disposable methods. presently, it is just as false and farsical as anything else, when it is done in pride and without love.
My Movement is ancient and present. It is eternal and not of this world.
...talkin' some smack from the 'hood with Jesus.
models don't matter
love is the key
The Spirit gives us the power...
success robed in failure is the trademark of Jesus
God means it for good when things go "wrong".
weakness is our badge...
sorrow our door...
obscurity our bridge...
people are people...
if you ditch yours now, to have it easier somewhere else, you're going to find the exact same stuff or worse waiting for you. Otherwise, you'll have it easy and never get what jesus was trying to give you NOW and HERE...
when you hang in there and stay,
repenting and pressing into God...
sometimes its your job to lose your job
Fighting the good fight can take you through a few fields
George Washington 3:6 record
that's right. GW only won 3 of his 9 battles.
forged in the fires of failure...
valley forge. no kidding.
the truth is out there
joining Jesus, outside the camp
this is why a lot of the small group and house ministry is so small. Joining with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart can pare down the guest list...
it shouldn't be small because we "sell" small.
A sad thing is that there are people who see the Church of Jesus as divided by Models.
They are listening to "House Church". "House Church" thanks you for your attention, yet desires to point you in the direction of the Source. You know? Lisetening to the Spirit and receiving prophetic, anointed revelation...
I would be happy to see the conferences shut down, if pastors were locking themselves away, daily, seeking in prayer and fervent pursuit of God's FACE...
if the deepest and truest desire of pastors around this nation wer to see the Lord's face, we'd face a great, unified outbreak of the Holy Spirit... Spiritual Christianity that would be relevant to JEsus. He'd understand our liturgy so much better if our lives and homes were places of obedience to him...
there would be an incredible, universal unity in the Church. We'd all be about the same business. We'd all be about the same Saviour's business. We'd all be about the same message...
the same Spirit would be at work among our people, the whole time...
What would I share from "My Movement"?
That we should all consider the Ancient Paths.
that we should all 'set our hearts on Pilgrimage (ps. 84)
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.
For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
"...are the ways of them." is often translated, "who has set his heart on pilgrimage..."
My movement?
Not house church
that's simply one of many disposable methods. presently, it is just as false and farsical as anything else, when it is done in pride and without love.
My Movement is ancient and present. It is eternal and not of this world.
...talkin' some smack from the 'hood with Jesus.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
How one of the most devout young men I know is finding Jesus, again.
Read the linked post by clicking on this: POST
This was written by Jesse. Read back in his blog and you'll see he's harder core than you, than me, than our local mega church... and look at how he despises that. He considers it nothing, compared to JESUS.
He lost Jesus: his focus. His center... He was myopic. He was blind...
prayerless
loveless
full of evil...
this describes me
and this describes our times.
and the only way out is to do what Jesse is doing: GET OUT.
Look at him. he did what Jesus said: sell all, give away, come, follow...
look at that.
there's a guy who actually TRIED it.
who's next?
Who'll be the next person to join the throng of those who cast it all down to follow, to wallow, to worship at the feet of Jesus?
honestly, all our religion is so disingenuous to the world's eyes. We deny christ in our constant affluence.
we deny him by letting each other be poor.
if, just in the church, we started to do what Jesus said-just to our brothers and sisters...
like Zach's blog has posted a couple times: Let's agree to just not kill one another--let the christians of the world just stop killing each other... just that...
or let's stop picking our neighborhood by its safety and schools. Lets pick it by the probability that loving our neighbor will destroy darkness.
Who is moving to Mississippi this year?
who is moving to Louisiana this yera?
Who is going to go to kolkata? that's where the americans go to get deloused, spiritually. Mama T's ghost roams the dorms there, speaking her sweet history of abandonment to Jesus into the ears of sleeping CEO's.
If you're going to LIVE for Jesus, please let me know. It gets lonely hearing and speaking like this. It gets lonely knowing this. It gets lonely seeing people smile and nod, glazing over when the "rhetoric" gets too deep for them.
Who is moving to a troubled neighborhood?
who is going to neighbor up with Rick and Jackie? Lord knows they're too overwhelmed working in the church for peanuts (a crime-for shame to be that way) that they can hardly make it 3 hoods over to us for prayer adn fellowship.
they need the church to come to them.
how much of this whole thing is just jockeying for comfort and self-affirmation?
to worship in song, get in our lexus, drive home to a 200 thousand dollar mortgage and a 1000 dollar lawnmower... on a street of a hundred such lives... completely unconnected in any true way...
is this somehow acceptable?
where's the mourning over this?
there's barely a soft questioning of it.
what about Jesus?
didn't we have to push Him aside a long time ago to wind up here?
Let's be honest and get on our faces and beg him back into the house.
This was written by Jesse. Read back in his blog and you'll see he's harder core than you, than me, than our local mega church... and look at how he despises that. He considers it nothing, compared to JESUS.
He lost Jesus: his focus. His center... He was myopic. He was blind...
prayerless
loveless
full of evil...
this describes me
and this describes our times.
and the only way out is to do what Jesse is doing: GET OUT.
Look at him. he did what Jesus said: sell all, give away, come, follow...
look at that.
there's a guy who actually TRIED it.
who's next?
Who'll be the next person to join the throng of those who cast it all down to follow, to wallow, to worship at the feet of Jesus?
honestly, all our religion is so disingenuous to the world's eyes. We deny christ in our constant affluence.
we deny him by letting each other be poor.
if, just in the church, we started to do what Jesus said-just to our brothers and sisters...
like Zach's blog has posted a couple times: Let's agree to just not kill one another--let the christians of the world just stop killing each other... just that...
or let's stop picking our neighborhood by its safety and schools. Lets pick it by the probability that loving our neighbor will destroy darkness.
Who is moving to Mississippi this year?
who is moving to Louisiana this yera?
Who is going to go to kolkata? that's where the americans go to get deloused, spiritually. Mama T's ghost roams the dorms there, speaking her sweet history of abandonment to Jesus into the ears of sleeping CEO's.
If you're going to LIVE for Jesus, please let me know. It gets lonely hearing and speaking like this. It gets lonely knowing this. It gets lonely seeing people smile and nod, glazing over when the "rhetoric" gets too deep for them.
Who is moving to a troubled neighborhood?
who is going to neighbor up with Rick and Jackie? Lord knows they're too overwhelmed working in the church for peanuts (a crime-for shame to be that way) that they can hardly make it 3 hoods over to us for prayer adn fellowship.
they need the church to come to them.
how much of this whole thing is just jockeying for comfort and self-affirmation?
to worship in song, get in our lexus, drive home to a 200 thousand dollar mortgage and a 1000 dollar lawnmower... on a street of a hundred such lives... completely unconnected in any true way...
is this somehow acceptable?
where's the mourning over this?
there's barely a soft questioning of it.
what about Jesus?
didn't we have to push Him aside a long time ago to wind up here?
Let's be honest and get on our faces and beg him back into the house.
log crossing
took this one while out with the mcd's. peace to ya...
that's seth, lookng back at me, and mike over theere..
have a great day, everyone... like, enjoy it.
Trouble Commenting?
If you're having any trouble commenting, that's because my settings only allow Bloggers to comment. So if you want to post a comment, open a blogger account. it's quick and easy, and you can just let it lie dormant until my Crazy Christian ravings get you mad or happy enough to start posting, yourself.
I've been at this for a WHILE (my first posts are in 03) and it's definitely worth the time. I can't tell you the number of times people from WAY out of town (like Germany) have emailed or called, or commented me.
and if you want to talk more about being a Jesus people, let me know... the table's set. the door's open.
I've been at this for a WHILE (my first posts are in 03) and it's definitely worth the time. I can't tell you the number of times people from WAY out of town (like Germany) have emailed or called, or commented me.
and if you want to talk more about being a Jesus people, let me know... the table's set. the door's open.
Half-Life Gospel
You know how Jesus taught us?
In Matthew 28:19-20?
actually didn't teach. The commissioned us--gave us our mission:
"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples
of all the nations,
baptizing them
in the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe
all things that I have commanded you;
and lo,
I am with you always,
even to the end of the age."
Let's talk about a Half-life Gospel.
A half life is when some material that's radioactive--like nuclear waste--is, how do you say it? It's dying off.
Its becoming normal
--no longer dangerous--
no longer causing damage or change by its radiation.
We measure the material's half life by the amount of time it takes it to be half as "radioactive" as it was at full strength. The idea is that the material will be somewhat radioactive forever, but someday, in miniscule amounts.
When you want the material to be weaker--to not cause change or damage--a half-life is an important measure for safety.
So we have all kinds of stuff like that. You get it...
Well, the Gospel of Jesus is like Nuclear stuff, too. It "radiates" and "mutates" people, when they believe it. In Galatians it says (Gal.3"1-9) that when we believe the gospel, it opens the door to the Holy Spirit and Miracles.
...don't see much Holy Spirit and Miracle stuff around here, lately.
Come to think of it, I hear about it in China and Africa, a lot. I have people in some of those places. They're really excited. The dead are raised, even...
Why isn't that stuff more prevalent?
Could it be that we don't believe?
no, people are working their butts off on believing... Let's pass over that one...
maybe something has happened to our Gospel.
I think so.
I think we've neutered the Message.
We've cut it back a few half-lives over the last few generations, and contemporary efforts to re-contextualize and re-focus it have cut it back a bunch more... People believe what they're hearing--that's how we built the big Worship Warehouses in this city... Shee-ooot! There's another 10 million dollar travesty going up in Springdale. Ironically, its devoted to prayer and miracle healings (the kind that stopped happening sometime after the Luke 4 series got ignored and undone so thoroughly).
Here are 2 ways we have cut the life out of the Gospel. Pulled it's teeth. Declawed it. Neutered it... Half-lived it...
MADE DISCIPLES
TAUGHT TO OBSERVE
Seriously. Good stuff stillhappens, but there's not the intensity. We take the residual goodness and credit it as a sign of our obedience, justifying our activity and whatnot...
but boy o boy if you put your nose in that Book and take a look at what the Discipline of a Disciple is--the cross--and what it costs to follow Jesus...
...you'll reconsider your life. Are you really a Christian?
oh, you're offended that I question that? Bare knuckle challenge, brother/sister! Are you really a Christian? Have you got Biblical Religion? Do you walk inthe Spirit, or in your best understanding and Ideas?
Yes, the discipline of the disciple is INTENSE...
And if that's been presented to you every sunday morning from a flaming pulpit of "willingness-to suffer-and-forget-the-donation-levels-we-got-a-King-to-serve"
Yep, the church does need to work:
work on clarifying mission
discipline and the cost of discipleship
and the necessity of obedience...
It is half-life to teach "what Jesus said", again and again, every week, without a visit from the Master, Himself... Our gatherings are re-hash upon re-hash of "what Jesus said". We have the opportunity to learn what He said, every day.
Our gathering is a time to kiss Him in worship and prayer. So few churches even have a minute of silence, and almost none have any culture of crying out in prayer nad repentance... Preachers waste their bullets on Knowledge. The Spirit doesn't move. it's not dead, but its not alive.
its half-life.
constantly learning, never understanding...
having a form of godliness, but denying it's power!
Look at 2 peter 2
Look at Jude
Look at 1 Tim. 3
and pick your church
and your preacher carefully...
Looking at 2 peter 2, I'm shocked to see the description fitting to a "T" one of America's largest and most influential churches! Colorado? Ted? My dear friend Ted? who is loved, and may be rescued if he'll get honest with his perverted self and stop with the lying to himself? O how Jesus loves Ted, and his chances at the Kingdom are way up, as long as he gets honest about the whole thing... He was wrong. When he preached a Half-life Gospel. He should have been rebuking power, but was in bed with it in the end...
his greatest perversion has nothing to do with sex. it's about neutering the gospel adn shutting Jesus out of the Building, and worshipping personality and power.
2 Pet.2:excerpts
"But there were also false prophete among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed..."
In Matthew 28:19-20?
actually didn't teach. The commissioned us--gave us our mission:
"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples
of all the nations,
baptizing them
in the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe
all things that I have commanded you;
and lo,
I am with you always,
even to the end of the age."
Let's talk about a Half-life Gospel.
A half life is when some material that's radioactive--like nuclear waste--is, how do you say it? It's dying off.
Its becoming normal
--no longer dangerous--
no longer causing damage or change by its radiation.
We measure the material's half life by the amount of time it takes it to be half as "radioactive" as it was at full strength. The idea is that the material will be somewhat radioactive forever, but someday, in miniscule amounts.
When you want the material to be weaker--to not cause change or damage--a half-life is an important measure for safety.
So we have all kinds of stuff like that. You get it...
Well, the Gospel of Jesus is like Nuclear stuff, too. It "radiates" and "mutates" people, when they believe it. In Galatians it says (Gal.3"1-9) that when we believe the gospel, it opens the door to the Holy Spirit and Miracles.
...don't see much Holy Spirit and Miracle stuff around here, lately.
Come to think of it, I hear about it in China and Africa, a lot. I have people in some of those places. They're really excited. The dead are raised, even...
Why isn't that stuff more prevalent?
Could it be that we don't believe?
no, people are working their butts off on believing... Let's pass over that one...
maybe something has happened to our Gospel.
I think so.
I think we've neutered the Message.
We've cut it back a few half-lives over the last few generations, and contemporary efforts to re-contextualize and re-focus it have cut it back a bunch more... People believe what they're hearing--that's how we built the big Worship Warehouses in this city... Shee-ooot! There's another 10 million dollar travesty going up in Springdale. Ironically, its devoted to prayer and miracle healings (the kind that stopped happening sometime after the Luke 4 series got ignored and undone so thoroughly).
Here are 2 ways we have cut the life out of the Gospel. Pulled it's teeth. Declawed it. Neutered it... Half-lived it...
MADE DISCIPLES
TAUGHT TO OBSERVE
Seriously. Good stuff stillhappens, but there's not the intensity. We take the residual goodness and credit it as a sign of our obedience, justifying our activity and whatnot...
but boy o boy if you put your nose in that Book and take a look at what the Discipline of a Disciple is--the cross--and what it costs to follow Jesus...
...you'll reconsider your life. Are you really a Christian?
oh, you're offended that I question that? Bare knuckle challenge, brother/sister! Are you really a Christian? Have you got Biblical Religion? Do you walk inthe Spirit, or in your best understanding and Ideas?
Yes, the discipline of the disciple is INTENSE...
And if that's been presented to you every sunday morning from a flaming pulpit of "willingness-to suffer-and-forget-the-donation-levels-we-got-a-King-to-serve"
Yep, the church does need to work:
work on clarifying mission
discipline and the cost of discipleship
and the necessity of obedience...
It is half-life to teach "what Jesus said", again and again, every week, without a visit from the Master, Himself... Our gatherings are re-hash upon re-hash of "what Jesus said". We have the opportunity to learn what He said, every day.
Our gathering is a time to kiss Him in worship and prayer. So few churches even have a minute of silence, and almost none have any culture of crying out in prayer nad repentance... Preachers waste their bullets on Knowledge. The Spirit doesn't move. it's not dead, but its not alive.
its half-life.
constantly learning, never understanding...
having a form of godliness, but denying it's power!
Look at 2 peter 2
Look at Jude
Look at 1 Tim. 3
and pick your church
and your preacher carefully...
Looking at 2 peter 2, I'm shocked to see the description fitting to a "T" one of America's largest and most influential churches! Colorado? Ted? My dear friend Ted? who is loved, and may be rescued if he'll get honest with his perverted self and stop with the lying to himself? O how Jesus loves Ted, and his chances at the Kingdom are way up, as long as he gets honest about the whole thing... He was wrong. When he preached a Half-life Gospel. He should have been rebuking power, but was in bed with it in the end...
his greatest perversion has nothing to do with sex. it's about neutering the gospel adn shutting Jesus out of the Building, and worshipping personality and power.
2 Pet.2:excerpts
"But there were also false prophete among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed..."
A Big Bad Idea: The Church for the World: Out of Focus
THE CHURCH EXISTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THIS WORLD
This idea works out in all kinds of outreaches and dialogues and refocusing and whatnot. You can see it everywhere, as the church in America tries to "refocus" on "reaching" the world, or "serving" the world, or "reconciling" to the world, or what/how-ever you may see it...
There are great sacrifices going forth in this purpose-to reach our neighbors. Huge buildings "for the good of the community" have been erected. Salaries paid, programs made, volunteers recruited, missions mobilized...
dandy.
except that, almost without exception, when I powwow with folks from these groups--yes I may be talking about yours--they are DEVOID of one thing:
Jesus.
no kidding.
Jesus.
how are they "devoid of Jesus"?
Let me say it this way: they are STARVING for a touch from Jesus. They cry when we pray. they tell me that nobody talks like when we do with the Bible and the Spirit doing this thing that he does here,in the in-between service breaks over coffee...
They come to a living room meeting and get the (biblical) filling with the Spirit and hear the voice of God like never before...
They say things like, "I've gone to church forever and never heard anyone... and now I..." "I've been a Christian for X years, but now I know Jesus..."
People are HUNGRY.
In Amos It talks about a famine for hearing the Word of the Lord. Those days are on us, as church leaderships nationwide flounder in confusion and indecision about who we are and what we're here for.
The last four months have seen a return, an intensification of this dynamic in my life. Jesus is calling his people to return to HIM. return to a focus on Him. an absolute, exclusive focus on Him, and not on the concerns of this world.
and, simultaneously, I'm hearing preachers short-selling people on another message.
This false message is a shifting of focus toward this created world. They sell this world's need as our primary mission. They are telling you that it is your neighbor's needs and your compassion for them that should drive your piety (your religious activities).
well this isn't what Jesus is talking about. He's not talking about human-based compassion and activity. He's talking about Holy-Spirit-based righteousness and holiness and love, working out in our communities, which will shine bright to those who are hungry for God...
The truth is that when it comes to focus, we are to be "Jesus People".
Think about "FOCUS".
We got a serious "focus Problem" here. In between services, or in living rooms isn't where the most clear call to Jesus should be. It should be in that big mess of folks who came to hear good news, not warmed up leftovers... The good news is a mystery, but not a secret. Don't hedge your bets, you preacher-men. Sharpen it up and serve it hot. No more soft-soaping people into coming back next week.
blow on the coals...
and get in focus...
Cant you tell who is a kIngdom person? They're the ones with the far off look in their eyes, who walk in the Spirit and are always doing something strange and wonderful, whose friends are so unexpected, and who end up dying well--and sometimes young...
They are hard workers who don't complain and always have great joy...willing to lose out in order to maintain honesty. When they are given the worst work, time after time,they do it with JOY, knowing that it is Christ they serve...
They are people who can't sin without confessing and forsaking it. They can't stand for there to be anything between them and father...
They are those who leave their whole lifestyles behind, losing riches and pleasures--cleaning up and simplifying to serve Jesus...
They are annoying, how they always refer to Jesus...
They lose out, but not because they're bossy or messy. But because they're over-focused on Jesus.
Refocus.
Just Jesus.
2 Cor. 11 says,
"Oh that you would bear with me in a little folly--and indeed you do bear with me.
For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy.
For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you tas a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness,
so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached,
or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received,
or a different gospel which you have not accepted--you may well put up with it!"
please, oh please, brothers and sisters, Don't put up with less than total captivation with JEsus. That is the only hope for the world. Jesus Himself, the person, working miracles among us again, like in the Bible... This is why we have the Bible--to sharpen our hunger for the ACTUAL activity of Jesus...
This idea works out in all kinds of outreaches and dialogues and refocusing and whatnot. You can see it everywhere, as the church in America tries to "refocus" on "reaching" the world, or "serving" the world, or "reconciling" to the world, or what/how-ever you may see it...
There are great sacrifices going forth in this purpose-to reach our neighbors. Huge buildings "for the good of the community" have been erected. Salaries paid, programs made, volunteers recruited, missions mobilized...
dandy.
except that, almost without exception, when I powwow with folks from these groups--yes I may be talking about yours--they are DEVOID of one thing:
Jesus.
no kidding.
Jesus.
how are they "devoid of Jesus"?
Let me say it this way: they are STARVING for a touch from Jesus. They cry when we pray. they tell me that nobody talks like when we do with the Bible and the Spirit doing this thing that he does here,in the in-between service breaks over coffee...
They come to a living room meeting and get the (biblical) filling with the Spirit and hear the voice of God like never before...
They say things like, "I've gone to church forever and never heard anyone... and now I..." "I've been a Christian for X years, but now I know Jesus..."
People are HUNGRY.
In Amos It talks about a famine for hearing the Word of the Lord. Those days are on us, as church leaderships nationwide flounder in confusion and indecision about who we are and what we're here for.
The last four months have seen a return, an intensification of this dynamic in my life. Jesus is calling his people to return to HIM. return to a focus on Him. an absolute, exclusive focus on Him, and not on the concerns of this world.
and, simultaneously, I'm hearing preachers short-selling people on another message.
This false message is a shifting of focus toward this created world. They sell this world's need as our primary mission. They are telling you that it is your neighbor's needs and your compassion for them that should drive your piety (your religious activities).
well this isn't what Jesus is talking about. He's not talking about human-based compassion and activity. He's talking about Holy-Spirit-based righteousness and holiness and love, working out in our communities, which will shine bright to those who are hungry for God...
The truth is that when it comes to focus, we are to be "Jesus People".
Think about "FOCUS".
We got a serious "focus Problem" here. In between services, or in living rooms isn't where the most clear call to Jesus should be. It should be in that big mess of folks who came to hear good news, not warmed up leftovers... The good news is a mystery, but not a secret. Don't hedge your bets, you preacher-men. Sharpen it up and serve it hot. No more soft-soaping people into coming back next week.
blow on the coals...
and get in focus...
Cant you tell who is a kIngdom person? They're the ones with the far off look in their eyes, who walk in the Spirit and are always doing something strange and wonderful, whose friends are so unexpected, and who end up dying well--and sometimes young...
They are hard workers who don't complain and always have great joy...willing to lose out in order to maintain honesty. When they are given the worst work, time after time,they do it with JOY, knowing that it is Christ they serve...
They are people who can't sin without confessing and forsaking it. They can't stand for there to be anything between them and father...
They are those who leave their whole lifestyles behind, losing riches and pleasures--cleaning up and simplifying to serve Jesus...
They are annoying, how they always refer to Jesus...
They lose out, but not because they're bossy or messy. But because they're over-focused on Jesus.
Refocus.
Just Jesus.
2 Cor. 11 says,
"Oh that you would bear with me in a little folly--and indeed you do bear with me.
For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy.
For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you tas a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness,
so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached,
or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received,
or a different gospel which you have not accepted--you may well put up with it!"
please, oh please, brothers and sisters, Don't put up with less than total captivation with JEsus. That is the only hope for the world. Jesus Himself, the person, working miracles among us again, like in the Bible... This is why we have the Bible--to sharpen our hunger for the ACTUAL activity of Jesus...
Big Bad Idea: 2 Ambliopia
HALF-BLINDNESS:
Focusing is what Eyes do. Two eyes align on one location. Two eyes synchronize their individual depth of vision.
If one eye is on another location--focus blown. Double vision. Hazardous traveling with someone who's cross-eyed. the only fix is for the eye that's on the less favored thing to go BLIND.
Sadly, when we are cross-eyed in the spiritual life, with one eye far off, on where Jesus sits at the right hand of Glory, the eye that is on the concerns of this world usually stays strong and active. We become blind to the PERSON of Jesus and the Holy Spirit (both invisible) and we hone in and become able with the worldly/social concerns of the church... personally, we are not a christian anymore, since it's not about Jesus, but rather about the teachings of Jesus. We have gotten ourselves a New Law in another testament. We live by a letter and no longer by the spirit. Our lives are admirable to ourselves and men, and we often achieve great things, to some level or another of acclaim, but we have forgotten Jesus--the best friend we ever had...
This kind of half-blindness is all over the place. It is prevalent among pastors and teachers adn movers and shakers in the church who are accomplishing great things with the Purpose of the church at the center, but not the Person--Jesus, present by the holy spirit...
Think about this. Return to Jesus...
Plow up the fallow ground... Hoseah 10:12.
We aren't better than Jeremiah's Judah. Look at how religious they were--and how wrong.
Look at Amos' Israel. They had religion, buildings, programs, celebrations, liturgies, songs... by Grace they seem almost AMERICAN, or eveN CHRISTIAN!
but they were blinded. and lost.
Look at Revelation 3 and the last church: Laodicea.
we don't need another program, or an outreach. We need to repent and sell our stuff. We need to gather toJesus, open the door and let the Holy Spirit come and lead the church, again. There'll be trouble when He comes, though, since Ananias and Sapphira are often on STAFF. We leaders have much to lose in the move of God.
Focusing is what Eyes do. Two eyes align on one location. Two eyes synchronize their individual depth of vision.
If one eye is on another location--focus blown. Double vision. Hazardous traveling with someone who's cross-eyed. the only fix is for the eye that's on the less favored thing to go BLIND.
Sadly, when we are cross-eyed in the spiritual life, with one eye far off, on where Jesus sits at the right hand of Glory, the eye that is on the concerns of this world usually stays strong and active. We become blind to the PERSON of Jesus and the Holy Spirit (both invisible) and we hone in and become able with the worldly/social concerns of the church... personally, we are not a christian anymore, since it's not about Jesus, but rather about the teachings of Jesus. We have gotten ourselves a New Law in another testament. We live by a letter and no longer by the spirit. Our lives are admirable to ourselves and men, and we often achieve great things, to some level or another of acclaim, but we have forgotten Jesus--the best friend we ever had...
This kind of half-blindness is all over the place. It is prevalent among pastors and teachers adn movers and shakers in the church who are accomplishing great things with the Purpose of the church at the center, but not the Person--Jesus, present by the holy spirit...
Think about this. Return to Jesus...
Plow up the fallow ground... Hoseah 10:12.
We aren't better than Jeremiah's Judah. Look at how religious they were--and how wrong.
Look at Amos' Israel. They had religion, buildings, programs, celebrations, liturgies, songs... by Grace they seem almost AMERICAN, or eveN CHRISTIAN!
but they were blinded. and lost.
Look at Revelation 3 and the last church: Laodicea.
we don't need another program, or an outreach. We need to repent and sell our stuff. We need to gather toJesus, open the door and let the Holy Spirit come and lead the church, again. There'll be trouble when He comes, though, since Ananias and Sapphira are often on STAFF. We leaders have much to lose in the move of God.
Big Bad Idea: 3 Myopia
MYOPIA:
There is another Focus problem in the church. It's when our eyes are pointed in the right direction, but not the right distance. The eyes point straight, but their little inner workings--their clockwork gears and springs aren't tight enough and don't reach the target. Short-sightedness.
Sometimes one of both eyes are just looking too shortly, focused on the Way, rather than the Person who is waiting at it's end.
You see, we'll end up walking this earth until the end of our days, each of us. And at the end of our journey, we'll be judged. This is basic Bible, and if you have a problem with it, that's because you just need to soak your head a while longer in Scripture. In the New Testament, the concept of our accountability for our deeds is REAL and ACTUAL. We have to walk in that reality and act as people who will stand before Jesus, one day.
By trusting in Jesus, we escape condemnation, but not the potential for loss. Check out 1 Cor. 3:13-15.
People losing out because they didn't faithfully work out their salvation...
"Work out our salvation?" Lew, you're a heretic, preaching works!
okay, but what about Philippians 2:12-13, where it tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling?
I'm telling you man,you gotta get your head soaking fresh in this stuff! Y'all people need to be soaking them aching heads! walking around in a fog. Not going to work out for you.
so... some of us are blithely escaping condemnation and frittering away our days, following blindly after leaders who are preaching a Jesus of social concern--human compassion motivating our obedience...
Often,you can find out if this is your leadership or your church if you run a litmus test on their view of Jesus' authority. Do they treat Jesus as the Dread Lord that He is, who will return to punish sinners who will not bow? Or do they play jesus like a buddy, who cries himself to sleep that the world is so cold to him? Hmm?
as nice as your "-ianity" might be, there's no "Nice-ianity". There's only "Christ-ianity".
We're talking the Son of man, here... The King of Kings. Lord of Lords... blood to the bridles... aaw, go soak your head.
You may hate what I'm saying. It may seem awful. But go and get into what Jesus really taught about how we are to follow Him, and you'll end up in the dust next to me. Quit your petty offense and get ready to die, because Jesus preached a cross for you.
Mad?
Be mat at yourself. Shortchanging the Gospel as you "over-read" it.
Be mad at your parents. They sold you to school.
Be mad at your pastors. Why aren't they preaching a less comfortable, popular Jesus?
A Big Bad Idea: 4
The real Jesus is no one to build a Mega-Church on.
for some of these guys, their job this year is to lose their jobs. Any one of them who embraces the REALITY of the teaching and person of Jesus will LOSE a LOT. Jesus isn't the Lord of the Successful. Mark that word. The keys to success hang on the same ring with the keys of death and hell. It's all going to end up in the lake.
Yes.
We WILL love our neighbors.
Yes.
we WILL feed the poor.
Yes.
we WILL take up the cause of the oppressed.
Yes.
we will speak out against injustice...
but those aren't our life.
those aren't our focus.
those aren't what we're paying attention to...
those aren't our goals...
We are captivated with the person who is named Jesus. A people of good works who are captivated by their Lord. We don't even pay attention to our accomplishments and our faithfulness. We are too busy worshipping in the dust at the feet of the master... We are too amazed to care about "reaching" anything. That is, anything but the hem of Jesus' cloak.
If we rise from that dust and sit back down in it to know our neighbor beggar, its because we have heard that he is Jesus, cloaked in skin, among us... like moths to flame...
big-program people will always marginalize this. It doesn't fit the boardroom. Its the material of clowns and fools. and it is what we're being called to.
so give up what's holding you back and hear this call and dump your life into the can and get on your face and follow Jesus.
for some of these guys, their job this year is to lose their jobs. Any one of them who embraces the REALITY of the teaching and person of Jesus will LOSE a LOT. Jesus isn't the Lord of the Successful. Mark that word. The keys to success hang on the same ring with the keys of death and hell. It's all going to end up in the lake.
Yes.
We WILL love our neighbors.
Yes.
we WILL feed the poor.
Yes.
we WILL take up the cause of the oppressed.
Yes.
we will speak out against injustice...
but those aren't our life.
those aren't our focus.
those aren't what we're paying attention to...
those aren't our goals...
We are captivated with the person who is named Jesus. A people of good works who are captivated by their Lord. We don't even pay attention to our accomplishments and our faithfulness. We are too busy worshipping in the dust at the feet of the master... We are too amazed to care about "reaching" anything. That is, anything but the hem of Jesus' cloak.
If we rise from that dust and sit back down in it to know our neighbor beggar, its because we have heard that he is Jesus, cloaked in skin, among us... like moths to flame...
big-program people will always marginalize this. It doesn't fit the boardroom. Its the material of clowns and fools. and it is what we're being called to.
so give up what's holding you back and hear this call and dump your life into the can and get on your face and follow Jesus.
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