Be Different

/
2 Corinthians 6:17

As many of know I was raised in church and have heard about every sermon there is to be preached, and have heard every “Christian” bible-based cliché that has ever been spoken. Like, “Come out from among them and be ye separate”, “avoid the very appearance of evil”, “don’t be unequally yoked”, “don’t be like the world” and so on.

I was reading the Bible the other day and I just had a vision, or thought, or gas from the bean burrito I just ate for lunch … whatever it was I found it to be interesting. And here it is: When we read in scripture about being separate from the “world”, or “be different than the ‘world’”, or “don’t associate with the ‘world’”…what does that mean, in total context?

I haven’t taken the time to research it completely, but when I think of Jesus and His life, His social habits, He seemed to live contrary to that… at least in how I always thought it to mean. But it makes more sense; actually it makes total sense with the new way I am looking at that. And that is this; Jesus really had a difficult time with the “worlds” religious establishment of His day (Pharisees & Sadducees), and thought it full of hypocrisy and all other sorts of things … He encouraged people who were in that system to COME OUT from among it, be different, be real … GO YE into the WORLD … reach the lost ... take care of the widows and orphans. And this is the very life that Jesus exampled for us. There is no doubt Jesus stood on the outside of the religious establishment of His day, but yet had one hand IN it to shake it up a bit. Really He was trying to encourage them to see Faith for what it should be ... it's not about "looking" the part, it's about "being" the part.

So maybe there is a dual meaning here … God not only wants us to come out from among the world of sin, meaning “don’t live a life of sin”, but He is also calling us to come out from among our little Christian club life, our living comfortable Christian lives, only hanging with other Christians and get out in the real world and do something to reach this world … giving the world HOPE.

Random thoughts here … haven’t thought it all through yet, but I think there is something here for us to learn … salt doesn’t do any good remaining in the salt shaker!

Shalom!

Politics

/
I normally stay clear of the political conversations just because people get their underwear in knots over it. They say, “The two things you should never talk about in public are Politics and Religion”. Well I am a pastor so I talk about religion all the time, and I am asked about politics often and usually refrain from sharing. But today I will share just enough to hopefully get you to seek out the information you need to make a good decision on Election Day.

First I want to make a couple things really clear:

1) There is no such thing as a “Christian Political Party”! I have heard people refer to “this party or that party” as being the “Christian party” and I am sorry but that is absolutely ridiculous!

2) There is more than one issue out there! Some "Christians" feel there is only ONE issue. They are mistaken.

3) I have met some Christ-loving, Christ-serving Republicans, AND some Christ-loving, Christ-serving Democrats!

The one (of many) things I love about Mercy Church is that we are probably 50% Democrat and 50% Republican (or close to it, maybe 60 – 40). Either way, typically (if I can just be honest here) churches are full of Republican voting people only (at least that has been my experience), and I think it says a lot about the people who find our church meaningful to have variety.

I recently had a conversation with a God loving, God fearing, Mercy Church member about abortion. He is Pro-choice (not pro-abortion, just pro-choice) and I am Pro-life, though I understand and see both sides of the issue and with-hold any judgment from those who differ. He expressed to me that it was refreshing to have a conversation with his pastor about such a topic and have a different view and not feel hated, condemned and judged for it.

That said … I so desire for people (especially Christ followers) to be able to have civil conversations with people with differing political views without wigging out! And of course it’s okay the secretly feel (or know) that “they” (anyone who doesn't share your correct views) are crazy … lol! Just let them be crazy!

What do you think?

God is still God

/
Proverbs 21:1 "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turns it wherever he will."

Many people in the nation today are concerned about the coming elections, which we should be. Though to be fearful is not a godly response. I think we would do well to remember the above scripture and pray for God's will to be done, THEN GO OUT AND VOTE!


Here is what I want you to get from my little blog today ... on November 5th God will still be God! And of course this is why I encourage everyone to SERVE GOD!


Dull

/
Have you heard the famous phrase, “When Pigs Fly”? I am pretty sure we are all familiar with that phrase which means that something is impossible.

I am usually not a person who believes in impossibilities. I have always held that “all things are possible to him that believes” but over the last few years I have come to understand that some things are just impossible.

And here is one of them; It’s is impossible to really to reach your full redemptive potential (to reach spiritual maturity) with out being in community.

What does that mean?

“Iron sharpens iron”, which is a statement referring to people sharpening people, but if you do not interact with “other people” then you are going to be dull (less then your best). Let me take it a step further, because I can hear people say, “I do interact with people”… maybe you do, but do you interact with people in a spiritual community?

I would get better at Tennis by and really only by hanging out with other Tennis players, and even preferably Tennis players with skills that exceed mine. I believe it is the same spiritually … you cant be a mature LONER Christian. You can be a loner, and you can be a loner Christian, but you can not be a Mature Loner Christian … impossible.

So, there you go, my opinion on one reason a Church Community is so vital to all of our spiritual lives … and a step deeper is to be involved in a small group of sorts to even go deeper.

But it’s your life, you must decide what you want spiritually, and how far you are willing to go to achieve your desires.

When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

/
Jana and I just had a good friend who lost her husband tragically. They would have been married 14 years this January. Both of them loved God, each other and their two children.

She is wrestling with questions, just like anyone would if in the same situation; WHY GOD? How could you let this happen?

Our hearts ache with hers at this time.

The only thing I can compare it to is when one of my children gets hurt … whether they are just playing normally, or climbing a tree and fall … I hurt with them. And yes I could have stopped them from living therefore protecting them from any harm, but I let them live and with LIFE comes the opportunity for pain. I feel this is how it is with God. He let’s us live life, and we not only live with the circumstances of our bad decisions, He also (unfortunately) allows us to suffer under the decisions of others too. It’s a part of life … I don’t like it anymore then you! It is what it is.

Question:
So, here is a question I hear you asking; if God isn’t going to protect us from harm then what is the benefit or reason for living for Him?

That is a wonderful question that I have even asked myself!

Answer:
He is God, our creator. He is deserving of our worship, love and adoration. And in the end we will find we are much better off having lived for Him then not.

Here is the bottom line; if EVERYONE lived for God then our friend wouldn’t have been tragically killed. (He was hit by a drunk driver). So I feel that it is important for us to LIVE for God wholeheartedly and encourage others to do the same thing and life will be better. Not perfect, but definitely better!

If

/
The world would be different if…

Have you ever wondered what our world would look like IF everyone lived according to the way God has given us to live in the Bible? I often think about that … and then I am reminded that one day in Heaven it will be so, but until then we have this.

We sometimes complain or grip about “the way things are”, and it has a lot to do with us, our choices that further drive the commotion.

Just think IF… everyone loved perfectly. What would our relationships look like?

Just think IF … everyone helped others who were in need? Could we eradicate poverty all together?

Just think IF … everyone gave freely a portion of their income to the church community they belonged to. What could their local church community do to help others?

Just think IF … (fill in the blank)

Timmy, that’s impossible. Yes, I guess it is for now, but why not reach for that life … it’s a better life …. it’s the best life … it’s the life that Jesus calls us to.

So let’s start with you … what if YOU…? I think together we could change the world honestly!

Gap

/
All of us have a "gap" in our lives, somewhere ... where we want to be compared to where we are ... where we want our marriage and where it is ... where we want our financial situation to be and where it is ... where we want our spiritual lives to be and where it is, where our life is and where we want it to be ... on and on we could go, but you can fill in the blanks as it relates to your life.

The problem sometimes is that we are comfortable, though unhappy with where something is and where we want it to be, but nothing is motivating us to change ... so we stay unhappy right where we are ... why not change and close the gap?

So, what to do about it?


I think the first question to answer is; WHERE do I want my _______________ to be? Then, what would it take to get it there? Then you must put together a workable plan to get there, then start working the plan!


Unfortunately life doesn't just happen the way we want it always ... we've got to get our hands on the wheel!


Contribute

/
When I think of people, there are 2 types:

1) Those who contribute
2) Those who take.

I think we all go through times in life that are difficult and/or painful and we sit back and re-charge our batteries and we can’t (and maybe even shouldn’t) contribute for a time; though those times should be far-and-few-between though. In other words, those times should be “the exception not the rule”.

Challenge: Go through life making it better by giving, investing, sharing, loving … CONTRIBUTE!

Jesus said "I came to serve ... and to give my life..."