Been a while

A lot has happened in a short time including the death of a close friend. I started this blog with the intention of writing everyday but somehow our intentions remain just that...intentions. Action bring results. Most of us have good intentions. Most of us judge people on their actions but judge ourselves on our intentions. I've been guilty of that too often to count. I am going to make a conscious effort to write at least 3 times a week. I will continue on my previous blog this week. I hope some of these blogs have provoke you to think about things differently. Maybe even move you to act on something God called you to. God bless you all.

Open Book test

When you study in school it usually means there is going to be a test. Tests are not as bad when you know they are coming, well at least if you studied for it. I always freaked out at these two horrible words: Pop quiz. I would immediately get a pit in my stomach and feel like I was at the dentist office about to get a double root canal without anesthesia.
Then there were those times when the teacher said "tomorrow we are going to have a test but you can use your text books". Open book tests, these were my favorite. I always got an A on them.

God gave us a text book as well, the Bible, which could be the acronym for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. The Bible is filled with instructions on how to apply the material to our lives. And there will be a final exam. This statement may have made some of you feel nervous, but relax, this is not a pop quiz. This final exam should be easy because God already gave us all the anwsers in advance.

This final exam is an open book test. One where the Professor gives you the questions followed by the answers. That would be the easiest test in the world. Would it not? When test day came you would wake up calm and refreshed having slept soundly. Instead of being fearful, you would be at peace. You would be extremely confident of, not only a passing grade, but you would fully expect to get a 100%.

Wouldn't you like to know what God expects from you? When you die and stand before God on Judgement day? Wouldn't you like to know what the final examination of your life consisted of?

Would you like to know what will be required of you to receive a passing grade? Entrance to Heaven.
I'm not talking about a mere profession of belief which does not lead to an active love and concern for others. That is useless and insincere. Just read the book of James.

As in my post: The Backward Life, I continue to find that everything I learned or believed prior to commiting my like to Christ and following His teachings and example, was in direct conflict to what He wants from you and me.
Recap: Wanna live/die Wanna be first/Be last Wanna be exalted/humble yourself Wanna be a leader/ be a servant Wanna be rich/ give everything away Wanna be blessed/ be cursed Somebody hates you/ love them Somebody persecutes you/ pray for them.
Sometimes I still struggle with that conflict as I'm sure you do.
These are just a few of the answers on the test. The most important test you'll ever take. On exam day there will be no second chances, no retakes no do overs or mulligens. You either pass or you don't. Heaven with God or Hell, total separation from God for eternity. Heavy stuff.
As parents we pressure our kids to get good grades so they can go to college so they can get better grades so they can graduate and get a great job and make lots of money and be successful. That way they can buy a nice car and a big house and fill it with lots of stuff so when we die someone can pack it all into a uhaul and follow the hearse to the cementary. In reality relatives will fight over who gets what or they will donate or throw it out. Ah the pursuit of happiness and the American dream.
What we don't really impress upon our children is to study the only text book that really matters, The one that will determine, not what kind of house we will live in for 30 or 40 years, or where they will vacation 2 weeks per year...But where they will spend eternity. A paradise beyond comprehension or a hell beyond imagination. Why do we fail so miserably at teaching the signifgance of the Word of God and how it relates to us and to our loved ones?
I want you to think about this and pray on this before we move on. My next post will deal with the test itself.
God Bless you all.

Backward Life

This Blog as you may have noticed has been focused on pointing people to the true Jesus. The Jesus described in the Gospels, and throughout the New Testament. We are also focused on directing people to the Churches original purposes which were modeled for us in the book of Acts. The model that seems to contradict the church in America today, 2011. It's for churched people who have a disconnect from religion and desire a meaningful relationship with the Jesus that they read about in the Bible.

It's also geared towards the unchurched. People who for whatever reason have never stepped foot in a church. For the people who have failed to see the relevance of todays church in society. For those of you who are intrigued by this man called Jesus but don't like what you see in church or the way Jesus is represented there.

The life Jesus led is so foreign to our way of life. It literally goes against everything we are taught. Jesus said if you want to live die, SAY WHAT? Want to be first: Be last. Want to be exalted: Humble yourself. Want to be rich: give everything away. Want to save your life: lose it. Want to be a leader: Be a servant. If someone persecutes you: pray for them. If someone strikes you: turn the other cheek. Want to be blessed: be cursed. Jesus said and did many more things to confound people. He had the nerve to say Love your enemies and He led by example. He turned the world up side down or you could say right side up. His early followers shook things up as well. If you were faced with the real Jesus you would want to have him as a friend. The way He would treat you, you would want to follow Him and His teachings. We represent this same Jesus. We invite you to follow this Jesus. Welcome to the Backward Life. 

Do Church or Be Church

The Church in the book of Acts was a living, breathing organism. It was a way of life, a movement that attracted thousands of people almost daily. It was exciting to be a part of what God was doing in and through His followers. This seems so far removed from the Church in America in 2011. Instead of a living, breathing organism, we've become a brick and mortar organization and institution of rules, programs, tight schedules and committees.

Acts 2:42-47 describes what daily Church life was like and it's no surprise that it grew into critical mass. When you compare the first Church and our latest version of Church in 2011, if we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that there is no resemblance. If we break it down into its basic form and function, the difference becomes all too obvious.

Then: They devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching (study scripture, the Word of God)
Now: We devote ourselves to our jobs, to the pursuit of money, luxury, keeping up with the Joneses, sports, music, technology, Hollywood. We just don't have time to study scripture, let alone devote ourselves to it.
Then: They were devoted to fellowship, breaking of bread (sharing a meal together and prayer.)
Now: We have become a fast food society in our quest for prosperity. Texting has taken the place of meaningful fellowship; prayer has become a 911 call to God.

I don't know if Jesus would recognize the Church of 2011. I wonder if Churches care if Jesus shows up or not... and would they recognize Him either.Would they chase Him away? I am not a Church basher. I love the Church. We are the bride of Christ. Parts of her are not healthy though, and we must be part of the cure. Are you tired of doing Church? Are you willing to step up and BE the Church; the body, the hands and feet of Jesus? If the Church of America is the body of Christ, then Jesus is paralized from the neck down. In our quest to change, let's encourage the body to be what Christ called us to be.

Love the Church through this illness. Be the Church to the world.

Where are the crowds?

The Bible tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. When I am invited to speak at churches I always start out by asking the congregation if they believe this statement and I've never had anyone say they disagreed with that. In fact they all nod in unison, and some even shout Amen.

I remind them how people of all ages followed Jesus for days on end, thousands of people. Men, woman, children. and yes believe it or not even teenagers. They laugh at this, only because they don't know what's coming. I tell them how these very same, massive crowds, followed him for days on end, forsaking food, shelter, the comforts of home and maybe even water. These crowds hung on His every word. I ask them if this is true. Once again they affirm, this is true. Here's where things start to get uncomfortable. Here's where I'm sure, and this is just speculation, that they start to wonder why they invited me to speak at their church.

No I don't start ranting and raving like a deranged lunitic, I simply ask them this. If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever and 2000 years ago people followed him for days on end, forsaking food, shelter, water and their big screen TV's just to hang breathlessly on His every word, how come 2000 years later we can't even get a teenager to come to church for one hour a week. We barely want to come ourselves let alone invite our friends and neighbors. Jesus was a box office hit. He could draw an audience. If He was in a movie it was a blockbuster success. Why can't Jesus draw a crowd today? We already agree He is the same yesterday. today. and forever. The problem must be us, the church, the body of Christ. It's how we represent Jesus or should I say misrepresent Him. What will it take to for the church to show the world the real Jesus, not the counterfeit that we've created?

Gone Fishing

Jesus called us to be "fishers of men," not cleaners of fish, but most churches today want their fish cleaned, gutted, deboned and served on a silver platter with a side of garnish. But that's not our job, our job is to simply be a GPS and point to Jesus. It's the Holy Spirit's job to transform lives. "He also said, this is what the Kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come." (Mark 4:26-29)

Why do we feel that we can do the work of the Holy Spirit? Our job is to get people as close as possible to Jesus, and Jesus knows what to do from there. We are simply called to be rope holders, like the four men who lowered the paralytic through the roof to be brought near Christ to be healed. (Luke 5:17-26)

A section of scripture which further validates this truth is the story of the woman at the well, who after having a brief but life-changing encounter with Jesus, went back to her hometown and said "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" (John 4:29) In response to this one "unclean" woman, "Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony" (John 4:39) But more important than her words, were His, "And because of His words, many more became believers. They said to the worman, 'We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.'" (John 4:41-42)

We are not called to be judges and lawyers, but to be WITNESSES.