what I think I thought…

Reading through Ezekiel 18 this morning.

There are a lot of people who have a perception of God though the Old Testament that just doesn’t match the reality.  They see him as angry, vengeful, looking for a reason to spite people…especially in the writings of the prophets.

Then they look at Jesus and claim him because he is loving and compassionate and full of forgiveness and grace.  And often there is a disconnect between the two.  But Jesus said to his disciples…”if you have seen me you have seen the father.”  Everything Jesus is…God is.  And everything you God is…Jesus is.

I bring this up because of two verses in Ezekiel 18: 23, 32…

“Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord.  Rather, am I not pleased when     they turn from their ways and live?”

“For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord.  Repent and live!”
God’s heart has always been about seeing people live.  Truley live.  That isn’t a New Testement ideal…it is a Holy God ideal.  It has been his heart since he first spoke like into existence.

I love what Eze. 14:5…when speaking about people who had traded him in for idols they had placed in their hearts…God says he is going to answer them in accordance with their idolatry…here’s why.

“I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have deserted me for their idols.”

God wants us all to experience life…but the problem comes when we search for in everyone and everything that is not of him.  He is the life giver.  So why are still trying to get life from a murderer? (John 8:44)

“Lord give us the courage to repent from whatever it is that we are seeking life from.  Remind us all that life…real life…abundant life only comes from you and nothing else will do.  Thank you for being willing to fight for our hearts.  Amen.”

Doing a little reading this morning from Ezekiel 10.

Today I am experiencing a feeling I have never really experienced before. As I am reading through this text today, I can’t help but feel like I am seeing something I am not supposed to see. The text is a vision of Ezekiel looking on the Cherubim and Glory of God. I feel like a voyeur spying into a second story window with binoculars from the neighbor’s tree.

I know God gave us his word for us to read…and many people love to take passages such as these and dissect them and analyze them. But I just can’t.

I feel like the Psalmist who said in Psalm 139:6…”such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”

Have you ever read anything in scripture and thought…I don’t deserve to know this?

Doing a little reading this morning in 2 Peter chapter 2.

Verses 7-8 describe Lot as a “righteous man who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man living among them day after day was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)

I was struck by the thought…his soul was tormented by what he saw and heard.  I wrote this question in the margin of my Bible…”Does living in a sinful world bother you?”  And if I am honest with myself, most days it doesn’t.  Maybe I am like the frog in the kettle…the conditions get worse and worse and I don’t even notice until it becomes my demise.

Its not that I don’t notice the sin around me…you would have to be a fool not too.  But it has become commonplace…accepted…expected.  I have gotten used to it.  There are a lot of words I could use to describe my attitude toward it…frustrated, annoyed, miffed, judgmental…and there are times I am tolerant, apathetic and maybe hidden away there are times I am a little relived…but I don’t think tormented would make my list.

Which makes me wonder…why not?  Why am I not tormented?  Is that a sign maybe be my soul isn’t as righteous as I would like to think?

“Lord, help me to see the world around me as you see it.  And give me a heart that is tormented by unrighteousness…both in myself and in those around be.  And may that torment not show itself in indignation…but in compassion to see those filthy lives cleansed through the blood of Jesus.  Amen.”

A week ago I got into a pseudo debate about a YouTube video of a wedding.  The person on the other side was saying it defamed the sacredness of marriage…I didn’t agree.  One of his arguments pointed to the use of a “secular” song during the ceremony.
Now putting all of the rest of the argument aside for a moment let me respond to this issue.
The church has done a huge disservice to its people and to the world we live in by creating a line between the secular and the sacred…a line that god never draws.  We use terms like…Christian bookstore…Christian T-Shirt…Christian band…there are even Christian breath mints.  But here is the problem…we have taken the word Christian…which was supposed to be a noun…and turned it into an adjective.  Acts 11:26 says, “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”  They weren’t called christian people…that would be redundant.  They didn’t make up a christian coalition…that wouldn’t make since.  Christian means “little Christs” or those belonging to Christ.  It was a noun not an adjective.

So we have bought into this mindset that if it has not been labeled “Christian” by our sects bookstore, music company, publishing house, youth pastor or TV Evangelist…then it has no kingdom value.  But your Bible teaches you different.

Let me just share a couple of instance.

Acts 17 is the famous teaching on Mars Hill.  Paul is walking through Athens in their “houses of worship”…by no means “Christian” mind you…and he quotes an inscription from their temple and applies it to God.

Titus 1:12:  Paul makes a statement about Cretan men…and quotes a Cretan poet named Epimenides from the 6th century BC…he was a Pagan, not a god follower and because he came 600 years before Christ…there is absolutely NO WAY he could be “Christian”…yet Epidemenides words are recorded in your Bible…meaning now they are the Word of God for you.

I Cor. 15:33: says “don’t be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”  We have all heard it taught.  Our youth minister used that line to teach us not to hang out with bad people.  But what you probably didn’t know was that line is a quote from the Greek comedy Thias written by a Greek poet named Menander.  He was not “christian”…but what he said was true and Paul understood something we need to understand…if it true…no matter who says it…it is of God.

I think Jesus said something to the effect…I am the way and the Truth and the Life…if it is true it belongs to Jesus…it doesn’t matter who says.

And the flip side to that is just because a “Christian” says it, writes it, sings it, sells it…doesn’t make it true.  I can’t tell you how many books, songs, sermons, videos, labeled christian…don’t match with the word of God.

So here is my point.  1 Thess. 5:21 says, “Test everything.  Hold onto the good.”  That is what we have been commanded to do.  Dismissing things because they haven’t been labeled “Christian” or trusting something simply because someone else labeled it “Christian”…is breaking this command.  We are test everything.  Hold onto the good.  No matter where it comes from.

Doing some reading through 1 Peter this morning…

Struck by how often we miss the point.

The book begins by talking about how Christ has brought us into a living hope…that is a loaded phrase right there…through his resurrection and has given us an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.  and he says in verse 5 it is kept in heaven for you, “who through faith are shielded by Gods power.”

Did you know you were shielded by God’s power through faith in Christ?

I have never fought in a battle…much less a battle where shields are used.  But I am smart enough to understand shields are used to protect someone from the things that are trying to harm them.  A person behind the shield is protected.  But here is the thing…God isn’t worried about protecting the same thing I am worried about protecting.

If I were to make a list of the things I wanted protected by the “shield of God’s power” I would want my family protected, meaning no buglers or cancer or child molesters.  I would want my health protected, never go through chemo or be in a wheel chair. I would want to never be in a car accident or lose a job or not have the money I needed to keep my middle class lifestyle alive.  I would NEVER want to go to jail…for any reason…or have to endure long lasting pain of any kind.  That is what my heart hopes for when I read that I am “Shielded by Gods power.”

But here is the deal…turns out…God doesn’t really care about shielding that too much.  In fact the crazy thing is…right after hearing this great truth of being shielded by God’s power Peter follows it up with verse 6…”in this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”

What?  Suffer grief…I thought I was shielded?  All kinds of trials…I though God’s power was protecting me?  If I am shielded by God’s power then why am I suffering grief in all kinds of trials?  If I am suffering grief what exactly is God shielding?

Turns out God is protecting something much more important.  Your inheritance…verse 4…and your salvation…verse 9.

No matter what you go temporary hurt you are going through here…the power of God is protecting your eternity with every thing he has.

The question is…is that enough for you?

Been reading through Joshua in for the last few mornings.  Was struck by a sentence in 5:14.
Joshua is heading toward Jericho scoping it out to take it down, when a “man” with a drawn sword appears in front of him.  Joshua’s first response…and ours too…was to ask, “are you for us or for our enemies.”  It seems like a logical questions.  Isn’t that what we all want to know?  Are you for us or against us?  But the “mans” response was telling.

“Neither.”

He makes it clear…I am not for you and I am not for them.

He goes on to say…”As commander of the Army of the Lord I have now come.”

And Joshua hit his face.

Joshua made the same mistake we make.  He had been invited on a mission with God…but he thought it was his mission. So his first question was are for me?  I am about to do something here…are you here to help me?  I think the angel must have laughed…”Ah…no. I am not for you.  I am the representative of God here.  I don’t join you, you join me.  So here is the real question…are YOU for us or for our enemies?”  It was Joshua who needed to pick a side…not the other way around.

How many times in minisry to we pray for God to bless this or bless that.  In essence we are saying to God…are you going to be for this?  Will you join us in what we are about to do?  But I think God laughs.  I am not here to join you…I have called you to join me.  But if you don’t thats ok.  Your disobedience isn’t enough to thrawt my plan.

Let’s remember…God is the one who has the ability to accomplish what he wants accomplished in your life.  It is up to him not up to you.  Someone once said…”you just obey and trust God with the consequences.”  It is his mission…it is our co-missnion..”

My life works better when I stop trying to get God to be for me…and I start trying to get me to be for God.

Reading in 1 Corinthians 8.  Came across verse 6.

“…there is but one God the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ through through whom all things came and through whom we live.”

Love this.  1 God the father…me made us and we live for him.  1 Lord Jesus Christ…made through him and live through him.  That is the truth.  That is the truth for every person on the planet.

Paul follows up this great revelation with verse 8….”But not everyone knows this.”

WOW…verse 7 is the truth for every person on the planet…but we live in a world where people don’t know this.  They believe there are other God’s or no Gods…they don’t know the truth.

So, for those of us who do know this…we have to get the word out.  We live in a world where people don’t know…that is why they do what they do and say what they say.  It isn’t just they are are evil…they don’t know they came from God and live for God…they don’t know they were made through Jesus to live through Jesus…they don’t know.

So use your life today in a way that lets them know.

Tonight in our life group we talked about the church in the book of Acts and wondered, what happened?

What happened to cause the church of America to look so different?  Why don’t we see God moving in the same way?  Has he lost his power?  It was a long time ago…or have we lost something.

I was thinking about the church as they prayed in Acts and the place they were praying was shaken…I think if the place we were praying started shaking…we would STOP praying and run.  We would be so surprised.

I am ready to be a part of a movement of people that so expects for the God to move in supernatural ways we are surprised when it doesn’t happen…not when it does.

After everyone left tonight I was surfing around and read a blog I sometimes read…and guess what he was writing about…see for yourself

So I have been a little lacks on my updates…not as if anyone has really noticed…

But for those of you who have nothing better to do than read my thoughts let me share a verse God opened up to me today.

Over the past few weeks our staff has been reading through the book UnChristian…it is a book on how outsiders…people who aren’t Christians…perceive Christians, Christianity, and the Church. It is a frighteningly insightful book. So for the last month and a half we have been reading through it wondering what we are going to do to change the perception.

With that as a backdrop in my mind I started reading through Zechariah today and came across a famous verse…”Not by might nor by power but by my spirit says the Lord Almighty.” It is a cool verse that everyone has heard but I didn’t really put into context until to today. This is what God said to a man named Zerubbabel when he set out to rebuild the Temple. It had been destroyed and he was trying to figure out how to put it back together again.

And God basically said to him…”you don’t have the might of David or the Wealth of Soloman. You don’t posses their wisdom or power…but the good thing is, you don’t need it. This Temple is going to be put back together again…but not by might nor by power but by my spirit says the Lord Almighty”

I am not saying the church has been destroyed…it hasn’t it is the bride of Christ and the gates of hell can’t prevail against it. But there are a lot of repairs that need to be done. And this verse today reminded me…the weight of that isn’t on my shoulders. My strength isn’t what is needed. My might isn’t going to make it happen. My power isn’t enough. What we need a group of people who are on their face asking for the Spirit of God to move among us in a way we have never experienced before. That is how the Kingdom of God is going to…as Jesus said…forcefully advance.

What do you say we start praying…”Not by our might, nor by our power, but by your Spirit, Lord Almighty”

Yesterday was a good day…at least most of it. I loved getting to share the story of the scapegoat, and then baptizing someone who wanted to take advantage of him. We (Kelli, Levi, and I) went to lunch with another family…and they paid! I then visited a guy in the hospital…and even talked about the church with the nurse who was taking care of him. It was all good…

…until I stopped for gas.

I pulled into the station circled around to the right side of the car got out and began reading the instructions. Whatever happened to grabbing the pump handle and flipping the big level and watching the numbers turn as you filled up your car? Now every time you go to a new station you have to read the instructions…cash or credit? Debit card or credit card? Pin number or zip code? Regular or super? Car wash or no car wash? Would you like a receipt…oops sorry please see cashier!

Anyway, so I read the instructions…insert card or begin fueling. I was paying cash so I grabbed the handle and hit the fuel type button…nothing. I keep reading…pre pay after dark…its 2 in the afternoon, doesn’t apply….so I hit the button again. Nothing. My frustration over things like this is probably a little overkill…but I haven’t  remedied that yet…so I give a glaring look into the building…saying on the inside, “HELLO…Don’t you see I am out here trying to buy your gas…turn on the stupid pump!”

I wait a few more minutes…OK it was probably 10 secs…then in a huff walk into the store. I stick my head in a say, with polite words, but not in a polite manner, could you turn the pump on please…and turned to walk out. As the door is closing behind me I hear…”we are a pre-pay only.” Immediately my blood pressure jumps 50 points. I recognize stations must do this to prevent drive offs…I get it, but it doesn’t me I have to like it. It means I have to walk in give money…walk out pump fuel…walk back in to get money back…all because they assume the worst of all people…but that wasn’t the worst of it…

I frankly said to the teller…”it might be helpful if you post that somewhere so people know…” His response made it worse…”it is posted out there on the pump…” It was not. And I made sure he understood it wasn’t…”It says prepay after dark…it is 2pm in ARIZONA!!!.” Ok I didn’t say that last part but I was thinking it. I threw down a couple of twenty’s and marched back out to my car and began pumping my fuel, wholly frustrated at this entire endeavor…

Then I heard a voice behind me say…”Good show today Pastor” I turned a two men who have attended the church for the last few weeks were filling up their car…instantly I realized what an idiot I am. I know some of you probably caught that earlier…but sometimes I slow.

They had attended church that morning and let me know how much they were enjoying it. They were new so calling it a show sounded right to them. I wanted to correct them and let them know it wasn’t a show it is about a group of people who come together to authentically pursue God and take what we learn together and live it out everyday…

But I couldn’t say that…sadly the way I acted on the stage that morning and the way I acted at the gas station that afternoon was so different…he was right…it was a show.

We talked a minute…I pumped my gas…went back in to get my money…and drove home asking God for forgiveness.

I want to be a man who lives out what he says he believes. Who stops focusing on being inconvenienced, and always being right…and just loves people instead. Who leaves in his wake a trail of grace. Instead of leaving people thinking…”what’s wrong with that guy?”

Wanna join me? I could use all the help I can get.