Segregation

It's interesting how young people naturally segregate themselves.  Today, I spent time with junior high students on their lunch break.  I find it fascinating to see the variety of ways that kids group themselves.

Preps, goths, band members, video gamers, farmers, skate boarders, guys, girls, grade levels, drama queens, jokers, etc…



Adults are great at this sort of thing as well.

Financial status, hunters, sports fans, church members, Rotary, occupations, farmers, ages, neighborhoods, family dynamics, etc…


Segregation.
We find people with common interests, values, goals, and life directions.  These people are often our closes friends.  We golf together, shop together, and barbecue together.  Our common interests unit and bind us.  At times, our commonalities can become the foundations of our fellowship.  We're comfortable around people who are like us.


-   Some of us segregate because we're opportunistic.  We're friends with some people merely because they have money, power, or some sort of success.  The high school girl who wants to date the starting football quarterback for popularity.  The student who becomes the teachers pet in hopes of a better grade.  Relationships built on the basis of business and/or money.  Friendships made for selfish ambition.  We seem to love creating opportunities for ourselves.


-   Some of us segregate to fit in.  The Hollister wearing junior high student who is friends with other Hollister wearers.  The senior high student who plays football and has primarily football player friends.  Jaycees.

-   Some of us segregate because of social status, success-based segregation, intellectual segregation, appearance-based segregation, and etc...





This seems to be a tendency of human nature.





2000 years ago, the highly-ranked religious people were the same way.  They took pride in the way they obeyed and followed the 613 laws in their religious scriptures.  They spent time with others who kept the Law.  In fact, they went out of their way to avoid being around people who didn't have the same values as themselves.

Some people have referred to this as the "politics of holiness."

We know this sort of mentality well because we participate in it everyday.




Jesus…

...he couldn't be understood by the highly-ranked religious people.  While the religious went out of their way to avoid those who didn't abide by their Law, Jesus went out of his way to be with them.  While the religious dodged the uncleanliness of the sinners, Jesus had dinner with them.  The religious commented, condemned, and at one point even called Jesus a drunk.

Some have referred to Jesus' methods as the "politics of compassion."




So…

This Jesus, the Savior, the way/truth/life, God in the form of man, the infinite knowledge of God finally communicated to man; he doesn't care about our social status, whether we're fat or skinny, whether we're a prep or a band geek, whether we're straight or gay, whether we're rich or poor, whether we're a highly-ranked religious person or a tax collector, whether we're good looking or ugly, whether we're self-proclaimed sinless or sinful, whether we have it figured out or not, whether we're blue collar or white collar….


Jesus meets us in whatever mess we find ourselves.



It is at that point when He invites us to enter into God's Kingdom.
It is at that point when He shows us the availability of God.
It is at that point when His Spirit enters, fills, and convicts us in the ways of God.




Jesus has no interest in segregation,
because He is more concerned with compassion.



The social categories and boundaries have no purpose in Jesus' world
because He is looking for anyone who will listen and believe.



This is our Savior.
This is His pattern, rhythm, way, method, perspective…







Unlike our obsession with segregation,
this is Jesus
and He loves you no matter who you are or where you come from!
          








*Luke 15 : 1,2

green light storm

The water is rising.

Along the coast of the Mississippi River, as you read this, the water is rising to record highs.

The crests have been measured at:
   47.8 ft in Memphis, Tennessee
   58 ft in Natchez, Mississippi (and it's predicted to go up to 64ft)


People's houses, businesses, farmland and overall livelihood has been swallowed by this thing.  Some of these people are still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.  One can't help but feel compassion for the people having to deal with the disaster.  It's awful.  It seems as if they just got done with one natural disaster, and now they're facing the adversity of another?

(Personally, I can't imagine what people are going through.  Folks, they need our prayers so much right now.  As this thing continues, please continue to stay updated on particular ways you can pray and give aid in relief.)




Why do the "storms of life" seem to hit some people more than others?



   ...the father who lost his job and cannot find work to support his family.
   ...the family who has learned of a loved one diagnosed with cancer.
   ...the person who suffers from depression.
   ...the parents who lost their child.
   ...those of us dealing with the pressures and expectations of others.
   ...the kids trying to work through their parents divorce.
   ...pressures of conformity.
   ...issues at work.
   ...finances.




"Storms" seem to come in all shapes and sizes
        ...Big and small.
        ...Physical, mental, and spiritual.


And they will come
   …it's not an "if" thing
   …it's a "when" thing.


So the question isn't, "How will we handle the storms if they come?"
The question is more like, "How will we handle the storms when they come?"


Jesus understood this.
He knew the human condition.
And He knew something that we don't.


-----------------------------


This is Jesus' conclusion, ending, closure, and wind up to His mountain sermon.
Let us not forget that these words are interconnected with the rest of Jesus' teaching on the mountain.


Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash.


This part of the teaching is directed to those who have heard him.  This has huge implications for "Christians."  Jesus doesn't tell us to simply know the right "way," he challenges us to live the right "way."  It's almost like he says, "Simply listening to me isn't going to get you anywhere."  According to Jesus; the foundation, the core, the bottom line in our lives will fall apart if we don't apply his words to our lives.



It's the when, not the if.



Because storms tend to change things don't they?
   -They seem to shift the way we think about the world.
   -They can tear apart everything we know, or confirm it.
   -Through them, we either have hope for the future, or despair.
   -What we pour our lives into can either be washed away, or solidified.



Have you ever watched a wave completely erase everything you're written in the sand?
   -Are some of us writing in the sand with the way we live our lives?
   -Is everything we work for, all for nothing?
   -Do we believe Jesus really meant what he said?



Jesus understands the human condition.  He knows how easily we can build our lives up on the wrong foundations.  He knows that the storms will come.  He knows the destructive forces life can bring.  Yet in the midst of all this, he offers hope and wisdom.




So as people who have heard the words of Jesus, how will we cope with the storms of life?
      -With a solid foundation
                or
      -With a sand foundation


As we grow families, who's wisdom will we adhere to?
      -By following the advice and instruction of God?
                or
      -By following our own wisdom?





May you find hope and peace knowing that your foundation is in the Christ.


** Matthew 7:24-27

gas math

It's May 9th, 2011 and gas prices are . . . wow!

I'm 28 and I remember gas being $.79 a gallon when I was a sophomore in high school.

Since my high school days, which isn't that long ago, gas has shot up 525%. And this is only in the past 12 years. In these past 12 years, gas prices have increased like no other time in history.

Throughout the years, people have been cutting their gas consumption in some pretty interesting ways.

-I know people who ride their bicycle in the summer.

-I know people who have bought mopeds for summer driving.

-I've seen older people driving electric golf carts on steroids around town.

-Some people pay a premium price for gas/electric hybrid cars.

-Some people cut back and save money in other areas.

-They're even making purely electric cars now.

So, I started coming up with some ideas:

Last summer, I thought I'd ride my bike to work everyday.

Nope. I think I gave up after a week.

At one point, my wife and I thought we'd try having one car throughout the summer.

Um, we soon found that this was a bad idea!

Car "tug of war" isn't fun.

The other day, I found out that if I drove to a gas station 10 miles away from where I live, instead of paying $4.15 for gas, I would only have to pay $3.99. So, is it worth driving a total of 20 miles (10 there and 10 back) to save $.15 a gallon?

Math…

Now, the car I have has gets 20 miles per gallon. It also has a 20 gallon tank.

Because I get 20 miles per gallon, I would use one gallon of gas to make the trip.

If I arrived at the gas station and put a full 20 gallons in my tank, it would cost me $79.80.

If I traveled to the nearest gas station (1 block away), I would end up saving a gallon in gas.

I'd save a gallon of gas because I don't have to drive 20 total miles to the other gas station.

Instead of putting 20 gallons in my tank, I would only have to put in 19.

This means I would pay 4.15 for 19 gallons, which turns out to be $78.85.

Spend 30 minutes and pay $79.80?

or

Spend 5 minutes and pay $78.85?

Math helped me realize that this was another bad idea.

I'm all for interesting ways to cut back at the pump. Some are better than others. And some are just bad.

Ideas…?

Anyone…?

I still like the "golf cart on steroids" idea.

a letter to the disciples of Christ who gather together in Corinth

The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It's written,

"I'll turn conventional wisdom on its head,

I'll expose so-called experts as crackpots."

So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn't God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb - preaching, of all things! - To bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.

While Jews clamor for miraculous demonstrations and Greeks go in for philosophical wisdom [and Americans obsess with business, success, and power], we go right on proclaiming Christ, the Crucified. Jews treat this like an anti-miracle and Greeks pass it off as absurd [and Americans find a million exceptions].

But to us who are personally called by God himself - both Jews and Greeks [and Americans] - Christ is God's ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can't began to compete with God's "weakness."

*1 Corinthians 1:18-25

* the words of the Apostle Paul from the Message paraphrase translation

* [ ] have been added

I Pledge Allegiance to…?

America has taken care of business.

After Ten Years…

Thousands of lives lost….

Billions of dollars….

We have finally found our revenge in the assassination of Osama Bin Laden.

The media captures thousands of people celebrating this time of victory for the United States.

Facebook status' rant and rave about the glory of it all.

We got him.

America has taken care of business.

As an American…

I'm proud that our forces have the capability of doing what they did. I'm thankful for the time and energy our troops have invested in the ideal of freedom. I hope the families who lost loved ones can find comfort and strength to continue on with integrity and virtue.

As a follower of Jesus…here are a couple things He said…

- "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

- "Forgive them, for they know not what they do." …was His response to those who tortured him.

Again and again, Jesus teaches "repentance for the forgiveness of sins."

As a Christian, I'm actually shocked to see other "religious" people celebrate over this whole thing. I wouldn't expect the first response a follower of Jesus to be celebration.

"I pledge allegiance to…?"

Allegiances...

Family?

Religion?

Country?

Political Party?

Friends?

…

What is our response to the assassination of Osama Bin Laden?

In a time such as this, where are we showing our allegiance to be?

The United States

or

The Kingdom of God

Jesus said in Matthew 7:16

"By their fruit you will recognize them."

"They will know we are Christians, not by our bumper stickers and tshirts - but by our love."

picking up trash

This afternoon, I found myself picking up someone else's trash. It was a task that I had to get done, but half way through the task, I got a bad attitude.

"This isn't my job" was the thought that kept echoing in my mind.

In the middle of the job, something inside me wanted to tell all the people that ever picked up my trash that, "I am sorry!" I absolutely hate cleaning up after people, and in the same way, I know people hate cleaning up after me.

Being a somewhat messy person at times (and if you know me, this is funny), this triggers all sorts of thoughts. So here it is: "I apologize if you've ever had to clean up my trash. I also apologize if you ever find yourself cleaning up my trash in the future."

In the middle of this whole (picking up trash) job, I had a thought.

Most of the kids and people that come to the church I work in have had some sort of bad experience with the religion we call "Christianity." I hear these genres of thought all the time:

-Christians don't represent Christ

-Bad church experiences

-Condemnation

-"They're hypocrites"

-Hate

-Plastic (fake or showy) church

-Complacency

-Negativity

-and whatever else Jesus didn't mean for us to experience in his church.

Trash.

I know Christians who leave their trash all over the place.

I've done it.

You've done it.

Without the constant presence of God, we Christians are great at littering.

I actually know people who won't lay a foot inside of church because of the hurt or pain they've experienced from "church people."

Trash

A never ending mountain of trash.

Jesus even mentions something about people who consider themselves religious. Read the 23rd chapter in the book called Matthew.

Even in the 5th through 7th chapters of Matthew (what we call the Sermon on the Mount), Jesus is continually picking up people's trash.

[ "You have heard that it was said…, but I tell you…" ]

This seems to be Jesus' favorite trash picking line.

Sometimes I sit back and wonder what kinds of trash I leave laying around.

What sorts of negative stereotypes have I created or supported?

I think this is something that needs to be addressed. I think the world has seen enough hypocrisy. I think Christians should either step up to the plate and start following Christ, or stop calling themselves Christians altogether.

Harsh?

I think so. Read Matthew 23.

We Christians have a decision. We can strive to limit our trash by refocusing our hearts and minds on Jesus, or we can continue to be neither hot or cold (and see what Revelation 3:16 says about that one). We can allow the Spirit of God to overwhelm our hearts, or we can remain in our own silly ways.

Jesus continues to resound:

"Come, follow me."

the way of life

"Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it."

What on earth does this mean? Before we probe that question, first lets make a couple observations.

- Notice that Jesus starts with the action word, "Enter." The premise of this whole teaching is not simply built upon a person knowing which path to take, but actually taking steps and entering into the right path.

- To Jesus, there is a certain way that leads to life (and few find this way). All of the other ways that don't lead to life, end up leading to destruction. Yes, Jesus breaks it down into two ways. One to life, and one to destruction.

- Jesus teaches that many enter the road of destruction. He also teaches that few enter the road that leads to life.

So according to the logic of Jesus:

- We know there's a "way."

- We also know that life doesn't come simply by knowing the "way," but by entering into it.

- Few actually enter the gate that leads to life, while many pursue on the road leading to destruction.

Let us remember that as Jesus said this, he was wrapping up and concluding a teaching we refer to as the, "Sermon on the Mount." The context behind the words about gates and paths cannot be ignored. If we ignore the rest of Jesus' teaching, we will misinterpret what Jesus was saying.

So, as Jesus finishes the S/M (Sermon on the Mount), he basically says:

"You can either follow the things I'm teaching, which will bring you life; or you can choose the path of the multitudes, which will lead you somewhere else."

Again, he is stressing the importance of his teaching on the mountain.

…following him leads to a "life" as God intended.

…not following him leads to "something" that God never had in mind.

The choice.

The path.

The way.

The decision is ours.

easter, prayer and people

Jesus is probably best known for dying on a cross and coming back to life three days later. Yes, you are correct: we call this Easter.

Currently, we find ourselves in the middle of this season for celebration and remembrance. For thousands of years, people who have seen a fascination in this Jesus have spent time in thanksgiving for what he did.

It's a season of success, of victory, and of new Life.

Young people get time off school. Churches flood with those coming to celebrate Jesus' victory over death. Flowers are bought. New outfits are worn.

All these traditions stem from the death and resurrection of one man.

[something interesting]...

This man we call Jesus once said:

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Of if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, thought you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

So in everything, Do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

Jesus' words seem to be split into three sections.

1. Something about the opportunity for a person to ask and receive from God.

2. Something explaining how much God will give "good gifts" to those who ask; like that of a father/son natured relationship.

3. The Golden Rule

The first two seem to compliment each other quite well. But the third one? Why would Jesus talk about prayer in one breath, and then suddenly mention the Golden Rule? What does prayer have to do with the Golden Rule?

Jesus again did this sort of thing when asked what he thought the greatest commandment was:

"Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as you love yourself."

Jesus' half brother, James, once said something quite interesting.

"Faith, if it is not accompanied by action, does not exist."

Did Jesus know something about God that we don't? Did James have this same understanding? Does a relational-type connection with God result in a desire to care and love others? Is this the connection between prayer and the Golden Rule?

Throughout the Christian scriptures, actions seem to have a way of following faith.

When people throughout the bible have been exposed to God, those same people have done incredible things. Noah. Moses. David. The Prophets. The disciples. The early Church.

Faith is the stem of their actions.

Their actions stem from their faith.

.

.

.

This Easter, as we're all remembering and celebrating Jesus' victory over death; let us also remember the pure genius of his words. As we pray and converse with God, let us give in to His call to love others as we love ourselves.

May this Easter be the beginning of a continued fascination with Jesus.

May you find new Life this Easter.

You Alone by Tye Tribbett

Awesome God you are

Desired of all nations

Bread of life

Sovereign one Eternal

Elohim - you are Creator

El Elyon - you are the most high

Ropheka - you're our healer

Shammah - you are present with us

There is no one else like you

Jesus you're the Great I Am, we sing

Worth is the lamb, worthy is the lamb

Worthy is the lamb

You're the great I Am

First begotten of the day,

your name is Jesus

the lamb of God who was slain

Rohi- you're my shepherd

Jireh- you're our provider

Tsidkenu- my righteousness

Eloheenu- you are the Lord our God

There is no one else like you

Jesus you're the Great I Am, we sing

Worthy is the lamb

Worthy, worthy, worthy

Worthy is the lamb, we lift our voice to you and sing

Worthy is the lamb, worthy worthy is the lamb of God

Worthy is the lamb, worthy is the lamb

You are alone worthy of all praise and I will bless your name

In you I have all I ever need, I live to give you thanks

Oh for in His presence is fullness of joy

and at his right hand are pleasures forever more

we worship you Oh Ancient of days

you're worthy Jesus

hallelujah

hallelujah

Yes Lord, Let us join the angels in heaven

Let us worship our King

You are alone worthy of all praise and I will bless your name

In you I have all I'll ever need, I live to give you thanks

We love you Jesus

for your goodness and your mercy

we give you thanks

thank you Jesus

If we had ten thousand tongues

we still couldn't give you thanks

reflections...

I mess up. I don't do things right. I can be a better father and a better husband. I can be a better pastor. I can be a better follower of Jesus.

I'm going to fail. I'll always have a way of screwing things up. And I have so much to learn about life, love, and other mysteries.

…but I had a thought tonight.

I'd have to say it was about

10:00pm earlier tonight

(March 6, 2011) when this

thought went through my mind…

I had just finished a busy day.

9:30-10:30 taught (Sunday School)

10:30-12:00 one of the best worship gatherings I've ever been a part of

12:20-4:15 Men's league basketball tournament (our team won I must say…haha!)

4:15-4:40 Rest/Down Time

4:40-8:00 Axis Youth Group

The rest of the night consisted of down time with my wife. I made her hot chocolate with a bunch of marshmallows on top, and I even added whipped cream.

A thought crossed my mind at about 10 p.m. tonight and I believe its completely true. I have been a Christian for a while, but I was so overwhelmed with a sense of love and peace tonight that it felt as if I found the Lord and fell in love again for the very first time.

This thought led me to the next thought.

The next thought is the one I referred to at the beginning of this blog:

Through the ups and downs of life, tonight my life has climaxed to a point of abundance that I've never been to before. The peace and joy felt in the depths of my heart is overwhelming. Thus far, life hasn't been better than this. God has blessed me with a beautiful, wonderful wife whom I adore. He has given us the most amazing (I get emotional when I talk about this) little boy a man could ask for. I have been blessed with an incredible family who loves the LORD and has brought me up in the way I should go. But regardless of those wonderful blessings, none is more of a blessing than having the Spirit of God in my soul. God pouring himself into me is opening life to become far more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. I'm overwhelmed with thankfulness! He is faithful!