Posts tagged God
thoughts on “Jesus Loves You…” by Craig Gross and Jason Harper – PART 3
Feb 13th
I find myself wanting to advocate justice for the hurting and pronouncing judgment on the religious. in this, i have become the very thing i despise… I am quick to offer grace to the rebellious and wayward. but i am slow in offering to the religious, if i offer it at all. yet i must.
I see this… in me.
We are never going to be friends or hang out with everyone we come across… some people just shouldn’t be together – whether because of past history, wrongs committed against each other, just can’t get along, or whatever else; there are people in my life that I just needed to leave behind and break relationship with and vice versa for one reason or another, and I would imagine that is the case in almost everyone’s life…
… but if you are a Christian, how do we still go in Christ’s commands to love God, your neighbor, your enemy, your brothers and sisters in Christ?
As much as I have tried to orient myself to live a life of grace and love towards people, I have had very little tolerance for those who are judgmental, or those who spend hours upon hours writing or speaking about how the culture around us is the biggest problem in life, how America should be changed back to a Christian nation (whatever that means) or what movies/TV shows/books Christians should see/read, or what author/pastor/church member are heretics, who put their trust in changing people and the culture around them through politics and laws – or who inevitably link Christianity to being an American/being a Republican, etc…
So, I just aired my “crap” list and nullified my whole message, huh? 
And there’s the point… we all do this. That list is still probably a short list of those I judge or have judged with an un-Christlike heart and mind… and I am wrong - I am the very thing that I dislike! “We” are wrong. It’s not that we shouldn’t discern against things we shouldn’t watch, or desire to see a Nation (or every Nation if we are to take the “Great Commandment“) of people seek and respond to Christ’s love and in turn with His help, change those things that are not best for us in our lives (as Penn said – “If you think you have the Truth and don’t share it, how much do you hate me” to paraphrase).
As Christians…
thoughts on “Jesus Loves You…” by Craig Gross and Jason Harper – PART 1
Feb 8th
Doesn’t matter what you do or who you are: Jesus. Loves. You.
And there’s the summery of the book. See ya!!
Just kidding… well in a way I am. I wanted to pull a few quotes and thoughts from the book I liked (and make a few comments if needed), but essentially that is it – Jesus Loves You (hence the title ).
The book is broken up into 10 chapters, or the stories of 10 different types of people the authors are with. They tell stories of their relationships with each type of person and why Jesus loves them (they do say over and over that Jesus loves everyone, it just so happens that the book takes a look at these 10 types specifically). Here’s the stories/chapters…
- Jesus Loves the:
- …Bitter and Betrayed
- … the Disconnected
- … Broken
- … Forgotten
- … Skeptic
- … Glutton
- … Crook
- … Outcast
- … Porn Star
- … Religious
After finishing the book one of my first thoughts was… “in the circles I grew up in and still to this day somewhat hang out in – many of them would think that there is More >
“Someone who Understands” – New XXXChurch.com Article
Jan 13th
- Image by el clinto via Flickr
Here is my current article on the XXXChurch called “Someone who Understands”. It’s under the Couple’s section of the blog. Or you can just read it below…
————————
Someone Who Understands
My wife and I have a 19-month-old boy.
He is just starting the throwing tantrums and taking swings at people stage, and gets really frustrated when he doesn’t get what he wants. Man it sucks when he throws a tantrum or takes a swing at you. And it’s even more embarrassing when it happens in public. We love him so much, but it’s still a bummer part of this stage.
So we got to talking with another Mom of a toddler in our church. And she started talking about how her daughter was doing some of the very same things our boy was doing.
And there it was…
Someone who understands.
Someone who knows what you are going through.
And that’s what we need… at least someone who has been in your shoes. Someone who has felt and experienced what you have thought, felt and been through.
And it got me thinking about all of this too…
But not just for those of us who struggle with porn and sexual vices. No, there are also those who are affected because of us – who don’t feel like anyone understands. I’ve been grateful for a few of the wives/girlfriends who have been honest enough with us to say, “I don’t feel like anyone understands what I am going through, and what we are going through together. I feel like all of my friends have husbands/boyfriends who don’t struggle. Or at least they don’t talk about it.”
You want to know that someone understands.
That someone has been there… or is there.
You want to know there is hope. There is light amidst the dark.
That you are not the only one who has ever experienced this…
… that you are not alone.
We’re out there. Find someone who can walk with you. Find people, who are or have been there. I promise others are out there. There are others like us. Not everyone hides their stuff. And if they don’t have stuff in this area, I bet they can at least understand what it’s like to struggle with something – if not point you in the direction of someone who does understand. And if they don’t understand or don’t struggle with anything… um, sure!
Glad to be part of a community here that understands…
… it’s nice to not be alone.
Don’t struggle in silence. I don’t believe God ever intended us to struggle in silence and isolation.
We’re here…
HE is here.
Related articles by Zemanta
- Steps: Asking for Forgivness (brokenbole.com)
- My new XXXChurch.com article… “Let’s be honest… We aren’t happy or fulfilled” (brokenbole.com)
- Fighting Porn Addiction…Online? (blogs.wsj.com)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=21c9c32a-c42b-4d93-a360-2861faad716c)
my “Avatar” experience…
Jan 3rd
like so many others… I went to see “Avatar” this week.
I had heard from a few of my friends what an amazing movie it was. I had also heard from a few other people, that I should be wary of it/or not see it at all, because it teaches “Pantheism” (and we realize we can’t interact with stuff that teaches something different from our faith… we call that “discernment” ) Please don’t get me wrong, I do believe in discernment (Ex: I stay away from the “American Pie” movies – they just aren’t the right movies for me to watch), but a movie here about a different belief system didn’t keep me away.
So here’s a couple of quick thoughts as I experienced this movie:
- The Experience: It was a cinematic experience unlike I have ever had (we saw it in 3-D at the IMAX). The colors, creations and flow of the movie was amazing. 2 hours and 40 minutes went by in what felt like 15 minutes. It was an experience… an amazing one! (if I wasn’t very clear… I thought it was quite the “experience”!!!)
- The Story: I had read an article ahead of time saying it was repackaged Pantheism. Not sure what they meant by repackaged, it was pretty blatent in it’s story of Pantheism (the view that everything is part of an all-encompassing immanent God and that the Universe (Nature) and God are equivalent), no hiding here. As a Christian I do have a little different take and belief of God and Nature; I do believe in a personal God… I do believe in Jesus as savior… I do believe God created everything, not just exists in nature…. But I also thought their was some beauty in the story. I know I will probably get criticized by my conservative buddies for saying that, “How can there be any beauty in a story that’s wrong/false…?”, but the love story woven in between two of the main characters was pretty cool. And the way Na’vi people banded together and lived as a community was awesome too. And I loved the conscience and actions of a few of the humans realizing obliterating the land and the Na’vi people for their own consumption was just wrong…all these could be a few lessons that could apply to us now in real life. Yes, I don’t subscribe to the Pantheistic belief, but the story kept me interested and engaged the whole time.
- The Graphics/Colors: Unreal is all I can say… So, so cool. A+++
- Overall: Glad we saw it, was worth every minute. We got to see it with a few friends/family. I look forward to the conversations with people about it. Whatever other peoples’ views are on Pantheism or Christianity or whatever, it should be pretty fun to interact with those who see it. I give it an “A” for the experience alone. My hope for the Christian community is that we will be there to discuss and listen to the stories and beliefs of those around us and be able to respectfully and lovingly discuss the themes of the story. I recommend seeing it if you feel comfortable doing so!!
Other thoughts about the movie??? Have you seen it? What did you think?
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=336451c1-803f-4b31-975b-0162699be299)
“Deep Church” by Jim Belcher… beginning thoughts.
Nov 16th
- Image via Wikipedia
As usual, Kevin, has me reading a book with him that he really thinks is great.
This book is called, “Deep Church” by Jim Belcher, and seeks to take a look at the discussion (or sometimes worse, the fight) between the Emerging and Tradition sides in Evangelical Christianity. His premise is they might be a third way actually… beyond these to sides of the coin, and deeper.
I’m only 3 chapters in, so this will probably be brief – but there is something that has consumed me more than anything else in this book…
It is the author’s desire and repeated statements of the necessity of these two groups to come together, learn from one another, walk together and be one in spirit. The author makes a point of asking how we can be Christians, but be unwilling to work together or love one another… therefore negating what Jesus says when He says, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35).
The normal response to the love thing I hear from each side is:
- Traditionalist’s: “Loving does not mean letting everything go and not telling someone where they are wrong. We can’t just let Heresy continue under the guise of love. Emerging people want all happineess, good feelings and emotions – with no substance. Love is standing on truth and correcting people as much as it’s about embracing people, if not more so…”
- Emerging’s: “All we ever get from the “Mainstream Church” is we are so wrong. You’ve got to hit ‘em with the truth and get hands raised or the sinners prayer prayed (that doesn’t mean there life has to change by the way, just as long as we get them to church and get them to receive their fire insurance), but where is the love and grace and letting people be who they are. What’s wrong with good feelings and emotions, I believe in truth, but my truth may not be someone else’s truth. It’s not my job to tell everyone where they are wrong… isn’t that God’s job?”
So we’ve got the gate-keepers of heaven (Traditionalists) on one side, and the feel good, it’s all good lovers (Emerging) on the other side…
How do we ever bridge the gap…?
Seriously, how do these two groups come together and share the truly, all-incompasing “Good News” that Jesus offers (not just “good truth” or “good feelings”)? Or do they really need to? I have heard way too often, at least subtly, that the Traditionalists aren’t even sure most Emerging’s are Christians and so don’t see how they need to line up with Heretics – cause isn’t that who they are battling… Heretics? And the Emergings can’t figure out why they need to align with Traditionalists who have butchered the Gospel and made the Good News into a prayer, and church into a show where you come to hear one guy monologue for awhile and who kick out and oustrsize all the people who Jesus would have loved and hung out with…
Being in both camps at some point in my life, I agree with Jim Belcher that they need to find a way to come together. Both have valid concerns, valid points and can learn from each other… while being corrected and changed by each other. But when both sides can be so polarized towards one another, I wonder if it can ever happen – or if you listen to some of them, it really shouldn’t and can’t happen.
Maybe they can’t come together… maybe it’s just not possible. The Apostle Paul and Barnabas went separate for awhile. But I wonder if Paul and Barnabas still believed they were part of the same movement, part of the life changing message of Jesus (I believe they did). I’m not sure if the Traditionalist and Emerging’s truly believe or agree that they are part of the same movement (although my experience has been more of the Traditionalists don’t believe they are part of the same movement, more than the Emerging’s I am around – but this is probably just an isolated experience.) … part of the same church/Body of Christ.
What do you think? Does it matter? Is the author (or myself as well) way off on thinking this is important? Is this just another rabbit trail, side issue that really isn’t an issue in most parts of the faith?
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=35882320-5cb9-4b27-b3a0-887d4c2e67dc)
Where do you start when sharing your story…?
Nov 12th
- Image by Rennett Stowe via Flickr
When you share your story (if you ever do) with others… where do you start?
Do you begin with childhood? Or you’re favorite memory? Or you’re darkest moment? Or somewhere else?
Now, thinking about those who are Christians reading this… where do you start your story (or testimony for those in the older generation …)?
The reason I ask is because I had a great conversation with Pieter here at YFC and he said something about our stories that made me think.
Why do we always start our stories/testimonies with the bad part (ex: God saved me from drugs, alcohol addiction, sexual addiction, depression, bad times, etc…). That is a big piece if that is truly where God met us, but what did God do yesterday? last week? the last year? the last five years? or so on? If we can’t see how God has made a difference yesterday, then has it been a life change and life relationship – or is it just fire insurance that helped you behave better for awhile. Not minimizing change, getting out of a bad situation and all that – just does your relationship go beyond that to include your whole life? (paraphrase)
I know my story always seems to start with all my crap and things I’ve done wrong… it got me thinking.
You’re thoughts?
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=a34fcffb-5bc4-44a4-bef1-a681bc17f186)
Jesus Creed Blog: “Friday is for Friends: Rachel Held Evans”
Nov 11th
Image via Wikipedia
My friend Kevin sent me a guest post by Rachel Held Evans on Scot McKnights blog, “Jesus Creed“.
Interesting post, that I’ll copy below. But I was also intrigued by a comment made by Bob Smallman about her post. Here’s what he wrote:
Along these lines is a comment by Rebecca Manley Pippert that I came across some years ago: “Jesus always seemed to be doing two things: asking questions and telling stories. Christians always seem to be doing two other things: giving answers and ‘preaching.’ “All four are necessary — at the right time and in the right place. But we tend to forget that the God of the Bible was an extraordinary communicator; we ignore Jesus’ example of how to start conversation, and we jump in prematurely with answers and sermonettes before the listener’s curiosity is aroused.”
What are you thoughts/initial reaction to this comment? Do you agree with his assertion that Jesus spent more time asking questions and telling stories; while Christians give answers and preach more? Are all four necessary, or do we only need a few now? Other observations?
To keep the comments in context, here is Rachel’s post (there is also a link to it on the “Jesus Creed” page hosted by Beliefnet.com”:
Friday is for Friends: Rachel Held Evans
Friday November 6, 2009
Categories: Bible
Hello, my name is Rachel, and I’m a recovering Bible snob.
I haven’t always been this way. As a child, the stories of the Bible enthralled me. I believed in them the way one believes in dinosaurs, Camelot, Abraham Lincoln, and other magical things that happened once upon a time.
As a teenager, the Bible evolved into a collection of affirmations designed to ease my angst-riddled existence (a hermeneutical shortcut Scot refers to as “morsels of blessings and promises” in The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible
), and in college, it served as my favorite answer book (Scot’s “big puzzle” shortcut).
How has your approach to the Bible changed over the years? Have you ever found yourself behaving like a Bible snob? How do you engage Scripture analytically without losing your childlike fondness for its stories?
It wasn’t until my early twenties that I began wrestling with the blue parakeets–those troublesome passages of Scripture that didn’t fit my theological grid, that seemed primitive and suspicious in light of modern science, that bothered my conscience, or that appeared contradictory. I went from loving the Bible to hating it for all the doubts it raised in my mind.
Thankfully, and by the grace of God, I learned to read the Bible in a new way. With the help folks like Scot, N.T. Wright, and Eugene Peterson, I began to think of the Bible as a collection of stories, stories that God uses to tell a grand Story in a variety of ways and expressions. Because language is always shaped by context, God spoke in Moses’ days in Moses’ ways, in Jesus’ days in Jesus’ ways, and in Paul’s days in Paul’s way. This approach–(what Scot refers to as the “Wiki-story” approach)–helped me make peace with the Bible.
But there was one problem.
It seemed I had very little patience for folks who read the Bible differently than I did.
“He’s reading WAY too much into the relationship between Adam and Eve,” I’d think to myself during a wedding ceremony. “She did NOT just More >
“Playing God” by Paramore
Sep 30th
Just listened to Paramore’s new album “Brand New Eyes” and this song intrigued me the most.
It’s called, “Playing God”. Thoughts? (Lyrics are below the video)
Lyrics for “Playing God” by Paramore
Can’t make my own decisions
Or make any with precision
Well maybe you should tie me up
So I don’t go where you don’t want meYou say that I been changing
that I’m not just simply aging
Yeah how could that be logical?
Just keep on cramming ideas down my throatYou don’t have to believe me
But the way I, way I see it
Next time you point a finger
I might have to bend it back
Or break it, break it off
Next time you point a finger
I’ll point you to the mirrorIf God’s the game you’re playing
Well we must get more acquainted
Because it has to be so lonely
To be the only one who’s holyIt’s just my humble opinion
But it’s one that I believe in
You don’t deserve a point of view
If the only thing you see is youYou don’t have to believe me
But the way I, way I see it
Next time you point a finger
I might have to bend it back
Or break it, break it off
Next time you point a finger
I’ll point you to the mirrorThis is the last second chance
I’ll point you to the mirror
I’m half as good as it gets
I’ll point you to the mirror
I’m on both sides of the fence
I’ll point you to the mirror
Without a hint of regret
I’ll hold you to itI know you don’t have to believe me
But the way I, way I see it
Next time you point a finger
I might have to bend it back
Or break it, break it off
Next time you point a finger
I’ll point you to the mirrorI know you don’t have to believe me
But the way I, way I see it
Next time you point a finger
I might have to bend it back
Or break it, break it off
Next time you point a finger
I’ll point you to the mirror
Related articles by Zemanta
- LISTEN: Paramore’s Entire New Album! (spin.com)
- New Albums from AFI, Alice in Chains, and 5 More (spin.com)
- Paramore’s Tour Opener Mixes Joy and Disappointment (spin.com)
- WATCH: Paramore Play 5 Songs Acoustic! (spin.com)
- LISTEN: Paramore’s Epic New Song (spin.com)
- First Listen: Paramore’s New Album (spin.com)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=d8d07617-0682-4047-b4f5-503a94c98153)
should Christians always forgive?
Aug 12th
- Image via Wikipedia
we know many of the verses:
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22)
or -
3So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” (Luke 17:3-4)
or -
12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14)
but are there some things we just can’t forgive?
it’s easier to put things behind us like hurt feelings, mis-communications, petty fights, a few bumps or bruises caused by others… but what happens when something affects you in a much greater capacity?
- What if you are directly or indirectly affected by marital infidelity, pornography, rape, incest, premarital sex or sexual abuse? What about murder or accidental death? How about physical or emotional abuse?
- What if drugs or alcohol take over your life or if you are affected by the actions of someone else who this is affecting?
- How about if you are directly or indirectly affected by dishonesty, slander, a bad breakup, divorce, a power play, getting fired for a good or no-good reason, having something stolen from you… this list goes on.
Are we really called to forgive those that do those things to us or those we care about? Is there a difference between forgiving and forgetting? Are we called to forget too? Is it even possible to forget, let alone forgive? And where do natural consequences come in for the things we do to others or have been done to us? Forgiveness doesn’t change the natural consequences does it? it doesn’t make everything ok, or say it’s no big deal what happened does it?
if you’re confused by the post… good, i am too. here’s where i am coming from on this. currently i am on the side of asking for forgiveness from people i have directly or indirectly hurt in the past. and i am wondering where the line is between reality and a good idea. do these people really need to forgive me? should they even? what are my expectations of it, or do i have none knowing what i deserve? what do i believe is right and what God says about forgiveness, sin and grace?
and then after running past a couple of stories this weekend of cheating (baseball player josh hamilton in particular, whom i am a big fan of), rape (a friends story) and murder (always stories of this i guess, and many other crimes) – it made me wonder where we really stand in between…
… what should we do, and we can we or believe we should do?
i know what i think i should do… i know what i think i wish others would extend to me… i know what Jesus tells us to do and what he modeled…
but can and will it be done in our lives in practice and not just theory…
can i do it when faced with a situation…
what do you think?
Related articles by Zemanta
- Hamilton’s wife forgives him, hopes others do as well (cbssports.com)
- Devotional – Losing Heart (pastorpaulvbsblog.blogspot.com)
- How to Approach Forgiveness (5min.com)
- Child Abuse: An Overview (counselingonlinesite.com)
- Devotional – Kingdom Recycling (pastorpaulvbsblog.blogspot.com)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=bf4bf0ad-0f15-4135-86f9-dd06a3c8b68f)
Christian Bumper stickers — part 3… “if i did put stickers on my car…”
Jul 28th
- Image by dragon762w via Flickr
here’s my last section – “if i did put stickers on my car…”. obviously these are the ones i like and would use to represent my thoughts and feelings if i put stickers on my car. i don’t put bumper stickers on my car, but i like these…
hope you enjoyed all 3 sections – i know i enjoyed going through all of them when i posted each section (even the “SAD” ones i guess).
anyway -here’s the ones i like:
