Wednesday, March 15, 2017

I'm Resolved!

This year is gonna be different!



I’m going to re-order my life…

Not from some online shop… not that kind of order.  What I mean is, I’m going to make more of a priority of those things that have lasting value and start dropping things that have little or no value.

Of course, not all the things I drop will be 'wrong' per se...  at least that’s what I often hear folks say.  What if some of the things that are “not wrong” can’t be “right” because of the cultural context in which we live?   What I’m asking is this:  What if the thing in and of itself is not wrong, but becomes wrong because of the context in which we live.

Matthew 5:29–30 (ESV)
29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Clearly Jesus isn’t calling us to dismember ourselves in this passage.  He’s using a method of teaching that was common in His day.  His point is that sin is so-o-o very serious, that if anything in your life keeps pulling you into it you should remove that thing from your life.

As an example, what if culturally we have gone so far down a path that the only way back is to cut Hollywood... TV... the internet... and our cell phones out of our lives.  Would we be willing to do it or would we spend more time offering reasons why these things are "blessings from God"

…oops, there goes my phone…

I did say “if”…

...just my 2c...

Christianity Defined



Christianity:
Def:- There are many important differences of interpretation and opinion of the Bible, and sacred tradition on which Christianity is based. Because of these irreconcilable differences in theology and a lack of consensus on the core tenets of Christianity, Evangelicals, Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox often deny that members of certain other branches are Christians.

That’s a combined quote.  Probably from Wikipedia.  The first half attributed to Olsen’s “The Mosaic of Christian Belief” and the second to Ehrman’s “Introduction: Recouping Our Losses”.  Here's my question:  How did we get here?  How did we get to the point where our interpretations have led us to judging … rather than our beliefs leading us to service?  How can we claim the Spirit of the Triune God lives within us and then spend the bulk of our time doing the sorts of things He forbids? 

Love one another!  Isn't that the command…?

“Oh, but Jesus had harsh words for the Pharisees of His day!  We have to tell it like it is!” 
(I know you’re out there saying it!)
Well, it was… and is Christ’s right and responsibility to confront the Pharisees of His day.  He is afterall the one true Judge.  What we are supposed to be doing is lining ourselves up with His call and mission! 

Here it is:
To yield ourselves to the empowering, infilling, anointing of the Holy Spirit in order to fulfill His purpose.  And what is that purpose?
Make the good news known to the poor …
Proclaim freedom to those imprisoned…
Proclaim recovery of sight to the blind…
Set at liberty those who are oppressed…
Declare, “Today is the LORD’s day!

…so what are you waiting for?

...just my 2c

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

LUST...


Now that I have your attention...

Just the other day a friend showed me his new iPad... I want one...

Of course I also want a new Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin Guitar.

Plus, I want a new iPod and a new MacBook Pro ...though there is nothing wrong with the ones I currently have... I want a second 30” monitor…  I want the latest internet connection at home and a big 60" curve screen TV one of the new ones  previewed at CES 2017...

A fully loaded 2017 Ford Escape …better get two, one for the wife… an expense paid trip to the Mustique Islands... and money... I want lots of money...

(insert heavy breathing here)

Lust...

It's hard to stop once you get started!

You can sit there reading and pretend you don't know what I'm talking about... that's OK nobody is watching you but we all lust...

For some it's all about possession... you have a list of stuff a mile long you want... for other's it's just money... still others are looking for power... land... and yes many battle with sex demon...

Lust...

I was thinking about this and it dawned on me that lust seems to concern itself with stuff that we cannot (or should not) possess.  I mean, If I were a millionaire I wouldn't need to lust over a MacBook, Godin guitar, trips, etc... I'd just go out and get them.  I probably wouldn't even think about it... there would be no need to evaluate the "why" behind the purchase or to ask, "Do I really need this?"  I'd just go out and get it...

The funny thing is I'd still find things to lust after... things just beyond my reach.  It's human nature...

Lust...

The one thing I don't want I have... lust...

Of course... maybe it's just me.

...my 2c