Above Morality

While many would describe Christians as bland, avoiding of conflict, haters of homo's, weak, cliche, lack of adventure, and hypocritical, that is not, however, the picture that we are painted throughout Scripture. In fact, Jesus was the opposite of all of these things. He was never afraid to pick a fight if there was a fight that needed to be picked. He was who He appeared to be. He was bold, loved all humanity, and took on whatever came His way.

So why is it that so many Christians live in such a way that would suggest these things to the casual observer? This shouldn't be the case, yet for so many it is. Life in Christ should mean a life filled with freedom, yet so many do not actually live as if they have this freedom. Is there a reason? Has someone or something sucked the joy out of life? Jesus says that He came to give life and life more abundantly, but where is that life and when does it start? He never said anything about waiting until we die in order to get this more abundant life into gear. Life was a part of God's plan from the beginning. He breathed life into His creation. He created so much simply for the purpose of enjoyment. There is no reason we need an endless array of colors, yet we have all these colors and they are designed for us to enjoy and for us to feel. Every color is to produce a feeling, which shows that we don't have to be emotionless, rather at our core we are emotional beings meant to feel a broad range of feelings as reaction to what is around us. There should be a sense of adventure and exploration of this world that we are supposed to live in.

Has something squelched our dreams of a better world and our desired creativity that will lead us to make those dreams reality?

I'm afraid that over the years our teachings have been too focused on what we are not allowed to do and has veered totally away from what we are to be doing as people who follow Jesus. Who cares what we aren't allowed to do, we need to be awakened into this world that He created for us and engage in the endless options of things we get to participate in.

Justice is at the core of everything we are able to do. When we participate in bringing justice to areas of the world where justice is lacking, then we are participating in things that Jesus Himself participated in. Everyone has a thirst on some level for justice, however, many have somehow convinced ourselves that things will never be made right. Our dreams of a better tomorrow have been damaged, but they won't be crushed. That dream will always live within us.

Yet, instead of pursuing justice we try to manage how many times we "sin." We try to be the best person we can be. But, Jesus didn't call us to be good people. He called us to be game changers. He called us to have character. To get mad about things that were not a part of His original plan. To live a life worthy of the calling we have received. Yet so many have settled for trying to be "good." And it's a wonder why all these labels Christians have been given are out there. If good morality is the goal than we have greatly missed the point.

Henry David Thoreau summed it all up in one beautiful statement:

"Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something."

Atmosphere of Expectation

What would it look like to walk into an atmosphere of expectation?

It happens all the time. Whether it is at a concert where a crowd of people have gathered expecting to be blown away by their favorite band. There is anticipation welling up to the point of tangibility. Everyone might be talking, but they still have one eye on the stage just waiting to get the first glimpse of the lead guy as the band walks out on the stage. But once the band walks on stage the anticipation doesn't end there. As the screaming dies down, it starts right back up at the first note or at the sound of the lead singers voice simply saying a quick "hello" to the crowd. And then the whole time the band is playing the expectation and anticipation turns into joy and infatuation and a sense of awe as you finally got what you were hoping for.

What about the delivery of a child? There is a lot of anticipation built into the delivery of a child... months worth of anticipation! There are preparations made for where the child will sleep, the purchasing of a diaper jeanie, rocking chair, and more clothes than the baby could possibly wear before he or she grows out of them. It also effects the eating habits of the mother because there is an expectation that the baby will be healthy, but that will only happen if the mother takes care of the baby while she is carrying. There is months of expectation all culminate to a new life being brought into the world! Now I won't say that the delivery is the height of the anticipation, because I have never given birth to a baby and chances are I never will, but the anticipation of grows during that time. But then thing you have been expecting for months turns into a reality in the form of a living, breathing being of which you can hold in your arms, you can hear cry, and you can simply enjoy. All of the expectations and months of anticipations turns into total focus on the infant after that. Sometimes it is as if the parents don't even exist.

It seems like the main things that we have high expectations for are all things that we pretty much know will happen anyway. Now I know that there are always circumstances where these things might have complications, but for the most part we know pretty much when and where these events will take place. It seems like the things we have high expectations for only come around once or twice a year, but why is that? My guess is that it has something to do with how exciting your prayers are. Is there anything you are praying for that seems impossible, but if it happened would cause the same reaction as if a baby were born or your favorite band walks out on stage? Would excitement well up inside of you until you couldn't help but squeeze someone or yell and scream until you have no voice?

An atmosphere of expectation is the breeding ground for miracles.

There was a woman who was hemorrhaging for 12 years and no one could heal the woman. In fact, doctors took advantage of her and would take her money and leave her worse than she was before. But then she heard that Jesus was in town and she knew that there was something special about him. One day there was a large crowd gathering around him and Mark says that the woman thought to herself, "If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well." But the phrase "she thought to herself" when translated better paints this picture that she continually thought to herself... it was as if she was saying, "If I can just get to him. I need to get to this man. When I get to Jesus I will be healed. Let me get to the man. I need what he has to offer, now let me at him." And the crazy thing was when she touched the edge of his robe she was instantly healed. Jesus knew that she had been healed, but when he turned to ask who touched him, the disciples thought he was going crazy because there were tons of people around constantly bumping into him. But he knew that someone very deliberately touched him. When he found the woman and she told him the story of why she had touched him, his response was, "Daughter, you to a risk of faith, and now you are healed and whole." Because of her expectation of what would happen when she touched Jesus she was healed. Because she had faith and had a very specific picture of what would happen if she could just get to Jesus and touch his robe, she was healed. Lots of people touched Jesus that day, but she was the one that was healed because of her faith and expectation of what would happen when she touched the Son of Man.

An atmosphere of expectation is the breeding ground for miracles.

Faith is not some sort of feeling it is a cognitive choice that we make. So what is it that you are asking God to do that only God to do? And will you choose to have the faith to wake up each day and live expecting something great to happen in your life?

Furtick: on Miracles

After an interesting discussion with some people tonight about 'acts of God' or miracles, I thought it was interesting to hear what one pastor out of Charlotte, North Carolina had to say. None of this is my original thought, however I do like what he has to say and looking at scripture he comes up with some interesting points. So, I hope you enjoy and this broadens your view of a subject that has a wide scope of perspectives already.


When you look at the miracles in the Bible, you see two themes consistently emerge when it comes to the person involved in the miracle.
1) Many biblical miracles were the person’s own initiative, not God’s idea.
• Like the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment.
• Or Namaan who went to Elisha for healing for his leprosy.
• Or the centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant.
And…
2) many biblical miracles involved the person’s natural action, not just God’s supernatural intervention.
• Like when the Israelites had to walk through the Red Sea after God parted it.
• Or when the blind man had to wash himself in the pool of Siloam.
• Or when Joshua and his army had to march around the walls of Jericho before it fell.

The bottom line is that when it comes to the miracles you want to see in and through your life, God wants your involvement. I’ve said it before, but most Christians don’t want miracles, we want magic. We want God to wave a magic wand at our problem or need.
We want God to send the money out of the sky.
God forbid we would cut up our credit cards.

We want God to heal us of our physical ailments.
God forbid we change our eating habits or start exercising.

We want to see God do miraculous things through us.
God forbid we get off the couch and give God a platform off of which He can work.

I’m sorry, but God’s miracles don’t work like that. Of course they involve His unmistakable power and provision. Otherwise they wouldn’t be miracles. But they also require your initiative and involvement. Otherwise they would just be magic.

Maybe we could sum it up like this:
Without God, you cannot.
Without you, God will not.

Ask yourself two questions today.
1) What miracle do you need or want to see God accomplish in or through your life?
2) What involvement is God requiring from you before He accomplishes the miracle?

The Best of 2012

I'm not much of one to do plugs for books, but this year I have read a couple books that have really shaped my thought in lots of ways and really changed the way I view myself, God, and prayer. I know it is still pretty early to say that these are a couple of the most influential books I have read this year, but they are changing my life little by little.

Soul Print is the first book that I read this year. It is all about being comfortable in your own skin and finding your unique identity. Mark Batterson talks a lot about how you have the unique ability to worship God in a way that no one else has because God has made you different than anyone else. He says that we rob ourselves of our true identity when we try to conform to the way other people do things, but we really just need to be ourselves. I don't want to ruin the whole book for you, because you really should read this, but here is what it looks like:




The next book has made an even greater impact on my life has been The Circle Maker. This book gets its name from the story of a man named Honi who lived in Israel about 100 years before Jesus. There was a great drought in the land and the people were worried, so Honi went out where people could see him and he stuck his staff in the ground and drew a circle around himself in the sand. He said he wasn't going to leave that circle until it rained, and then he began to pray and God brought the rain. This might sound weird, given my profession, but I have never counted myself as a really good pray-er, but this book has changed that for sure. He talks about praying for big things that seem impossible and watching God work before your eyes. I am in the process of reading this book with a small group of adults that I am in and I have to say, since we started reading this book it has been incredible watching God answer some big prayers every week. This book will change your life, not just the way you pray (I mean that most sincerely).



Batterson talks a lot about dreaming big in this book and setting goals and then circling your dreams and goals in prayer. Perhaps my next post I will share some of my dreams that I have listed while reading this book. In one night I came up with about 32 goals. I'm not a big goal setter, but it turns out I have a lot of goals! The list continues, but that is for a later day.

The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ

I did not write this piece, but it was too good not to share. This came from a man from a church in Australia called, Hillsong Church. His name is Robert Fergusson and he has a pretty good picture of what the church is. I hope this is inspiring to you as you read it.

The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ

She is the plan of God on earth; always in her Father’s eye: Cherished, mysterious, beautiful and potent beyond measure: King empowered and life infused. She emerges triumphant; limitless with potential; a harbour for the hopeless and an answer for the ages: The church resplendent - a bride for His Son.

She is the body of Christ on earth; born, like her Head, amidst tribulation, under jealous skies. Cradled in her innocence and guarded for His purpose. She grows in wisdom and stature with victory on her lips and freedom in her hands. Hers is an unstoppable cause. She embraces the world with dignity, honour and compassion; gives vision to the sightless and life to the dying.

She is the family of God on earth. Within her compass, the hungry find sustenance and the weary receive strength. She is a haven for recovering humanity, enthralled by grace. She invites the broken, the vulnerable and the outcast to be immersed in love. She stands imperfect but perfection resides within her. She is flawed but is washed with forgiveness. She has a treasury of faith and a wealth of belonging.

She is the house of heaven on earth: A representative, resolute to reconcile. The Word within her accepts the receptive but challenges the heartless. She is the ecclesia, called out to serve the world: Calling out to welcome in. Blood-washed and armed with testimony, the cross on her lips liberates the chained and offends the unchanging. Like her Master she is pursued and persecuted. Yet she rises with strength in her heart and fire in her soul.

She is the bride of Christ on earth; readying herself for the day when all eyes will be upon her. Prepared and presented before the Lord: The Lamb for whom the world waits, who comes like the rising sun, majestic and magnificent beyond description, while she dazzles with reflected glory. Spotless, perfect and mature, she bows low to cast her crowns and passionately worship Him. Her temporal focus becomes her eternal gaze. She is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Next 15 Minutes

I recently engaged in an experiment where I had to log everything I did for an entire week in increments of 15 minutes. This was a rather obnoxious process (for lack of a better term) at first. I will be honest, I was pretty bitter about it when I first engaged, but it was something I had to do for school in order to finish my internship, so the motivation was easy to be found. (side note: I am done with college!)

As annoying as I found this process to be, I did learn something from it that I will not forget. I was told that I would find something beneficial from it, but I thought it would be an attempt to point out how much time I waste each day, but that wasn't it (which isn't as much time as I have been accused of wasting).

There were times when I would find myself doing random things that aren't bad things, they were just things that don't amount to anything at the end of the day. Don't judge me, I know whoever is reading this right now was probably either on facebook before reading this or had plans to check it at the conclusion of this entry. When I would realize that it had been 15 minutes of doing nothing important or in some cases longer, the thing that would always come into my head is, "Make the next 15 minutes count. Do something productive."

I didn't even realize how many times I thought this same thing to myself, but it was a couple times a day. The thing I found interesting was that, no one really knew whether or not I had spent 15 minutes or sometimes even 30 minutes not doing anything productive, but I knew it. And there was nothing I could do about the past 15 minutes to change it, but I always had the next 15 to do something that would look good when I logged what I had done. When 15 minutes were up they were up, I couldn't get them back. Sometimes I had something to show for them, sometimes I had nothing, but no matter what I always had the next 15 minutes to do something.

Lesson learned: it doesn't matter what you have done that has been a waste of time in the past because you can't do anything about that. You can do something different in the next year. Make this next year count. There is no reason to lament what has already been done, just do things different from now on.

Jesus did the same thing with the woman caught in adultery in John 8. Everyone wants to stone the girl for what she did, but Jesus bends down and speaks to her, but he doesn't condemn her like the audience might expect. He doesn't say, "shame on you" or "you should have done better than that." The woman knows that what she did was wrong, so these things would not be helpful for this lady. Jesus simply bends down and says, "I don't condemn you. Go and do things different." He just tells her, in my paraphrase, "you can't do anything about the past, so just do things different from now on. Make the next year, two years, or decade count, because that, you can control."

Jim Collins tells the story of a conversation he had with his mentor and his mentor told him to stop worrying about whether or not he would be successful and wealthy. He told him, "why don't you just go make yourself useful?"

So that is the challenge in the next year. It doesn't matter what you have done in the past, you still have the option of what to do with the next year. So make yourself useful.

What is the Gospel?

I would like to know what the Gospel message really is. I don’t know that I completely understand it right now, but I think it might be possible to know. To sum up the Gospel in one sentence might be a little irresponsible, but I have been thinking about it for a little while and I have a few thoughts on what it might be about. I think the Gospel message is about the restoration of broken things. Whether those broken things are physical (ailments, cancer, etc.), relational with other people, or relational with God. I think that Jesus came to show us how to restore relationships with other people as well as be the atonement for our sins, which is what separated us from God. Because of Jesus’ blood we are able to be in the presence of the Father. Because of Jesus’ blood we are able to have the Holy Spirit residing within us and empowering us to carry out the Gospel, which is to restore and repair those that are broken. It is as if Jesus took that barrier down, but you and I still have to choose to walk through the gap where a barrier once existed.

Most people say that there is nothing that we can do to get to Heaven, but the Bible says that there is nothing we can do to separate us from the love of God. God loves us no matter what we do, just as a parent will love their child no matter how ‘good’ or ‘bad’ they are, but God, just like any good parent is just. God has an indescribable love for us, but it is still our choice whether we carry out the Gospel mission or not and that seems to be what Jesus is concerned about. In Matthew Jesus tells the story about separating the goats and the sheep. The thing that separates the goats and the sheep, in Jesus’ eyes, is what that person did or didn’t do for the least of these in His name. So, according to Jesus, there has to be something that we can do in order to experience eternity with Him. ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life.’ Another way of saying ‘believes in Him’ would be to say, ‘trusts in Him.’ This paints a little better picture. Trust is what I do when I sit down on a chair. I fully trust the chair to support me and all my weight. Whoever trusts in Him and relies on Him will have eternal life, because they are experiencing the kind of relationship they were supposed to have with God. One where we are dependant on the One who can give us life and satisfy every need that we have, but also, one where we are free from the bondage of sin that had previously oppressed us.

So, I think there are two different questions usually being asked when we talk about what Jesus came to do. There is the question of, ‘what did Jesus’ death do for us?’ and the question of, ‘what is the Gospel?’ I think Jesus’ death was the breaking of the barrier between God and His prized creation, and I think the Gospel is restoration. While forgiveness of sins is a part of restoration, it is only that, a part of it. You can look at restoration however you want, but I think as long as you are meeting needs of those around you I believe you are living out the Gospel.

I think another layer to that would be 1 Peter 3:15, ‘always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks about this hope you have.’ Because you have been set free of many things, you will walk about with some sort of hope that is just hard for other people to understand. So, don’t be alarmed when other people ask you about this hope that you seem to have for a better tomorrow, in fact, be prepared with an answer for them. There should be some sort of glow to your face and a little bounce in your step, you should be happy and excited above all else. I don’t think that this necessarily means we are just supposed to share the Gospel with everyone around us though. Some people who try to share this ‘hope’ that they have don’t really seem to have much hope. In which case, other people would only ask where their hope comes from is so he or she can run as far away from that source as possible.

Faith, love, and holiness is where Paul tells Timothy salvation comes from. What is faith if you never have trust in or rely on something or someone? What is love if it is never acted out through meeting the needs of others? What is holiness, period?

Maybe this is what the Gospel looks like. Maybe this looks like the Gospel you have believed in and put your faith in, but this is different than the picture that was painted for me when I was growing up.