Christmas as a word and a season is losing ground. Maybe we should go back to Xmas? What, isn't that just a lazy way to write Christmas? No, the X is the first Greek letter in Christ. The X to me, says, it is all about Christ. At a recent office party someone asked about that Xmas. It gave me a valid reason to witness about the Christ that came. When you read that word, Christ, you pronounce it differently than Christmas. Maybe we should say the word the way it is meant. Christ Mas. Christ not cryst. Say Merry Christ - Mas loudly this season. Use the X (Chi) to remind yourself if needed.
Seems that a few mega churches have decided the world is flat. Yes, they feel we should succomb to modernity and skip gathering together in celebration of the coming of God to man. What? Yes, it is the manner of some to gather less as the day approaches. Yet, our gospel tells us to not be like some who gather less, but gather more. The day approaches.
The day of apathy approaches. The day of ineffective congregations with no power approaches. The day of being so preoccupied with meeting the world on the ocean of comfort that we have lost sigth of the shore of Christ approaches.
The great television show of the day, Lost, centers on the problem. We are lost. We are without bearings. We do not know where we are or what is going to happen. How did our world get there? In Christ, I know exactly who I am. I know what is going to happen. He told me that before anything new happens, He would tell us. I know my calling to witness and pray and study my bible. Yet, as a whole we are lost. Our signals are coming from a lost world. No wonder we are lost. Shouldn't the signals come from the difinitive scripture?
People want valid and consistent purpose that stands the test of time. People want a strong tower to which to run.
This Christmas put the X back in. Happy birthday, Jesus. Merry Christ - Mas.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Revolution? Observation?
“The revolution of faith is swelling within the soul of America. It will affect you and everyone you know. Every social institution will be affected. This is not simply a movement; it is a full-scale reengineering of the role of faith in personal lives, the religious community, and society at large.” -- George Barna
The above quote by the prognosticator and observor, George Barna, leaves something to ponder. Does God wait on us? Is a revolution something we do or He does?
These same words could have been written at any time about any time in the last 2000 years. There is always a revolution going on in our world. There is always a group of people ready to embrace the Gospel. God does not wait for revivals. He is busy all the time.
What is different about these times? Is it valid to watch the world to determine what is happening or should we be watching the Holy Spirit. Should we be polling unbelief to find belief? Should we be polling in our prayer closet to determine the next steps not the last observation? These are questions that many times have dual answers. Yes and Yes. We should observe and shape. We should see what men and women need, and we should ask the Holy Spirit to give us openings into their hearts that have unseen portals.
Create a revolution. Men are always tired of religion that is not faith. Women are always looking for strong and valid relationships based on compassion. Children are always accepting of true love and concern. Create a revolution.
Get more concerned about loving God above all and loving your neighbor as yourself. Do that and a revolution will follow you and the Jesus that is in you. Quit worrying about the ten commandments and what some city is doing about Christmas. Get intimately concerned about how you exhibit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control and how you celebrate the coming of God to men.
Revolution is not what others think. Revolution is what God thinks and how we agree with Him.
The above quote by the prognosticator and observor, George Barna, leaves something to ponder. Does God wait on us? Is a revolution something we do or He does?
These same words could have been written at any time about any time in the last 2000 years. There is always a revolution going on in our world. There is always a group of people ready to embrace the Gospel. God does not wait for revivals. He is busy all the time.
What is different about these times? Is it valid to watch the world to determine what is happening or should we be watching the Holy Spirit. Should we be polling unbelief to find belief? Should we be polling in our prayer closet to determine the next steps not the last observation? These are questions that many times have dual answers. Yes and Yes. We should observe and shape. We should see what men and women need, and we should ask the Holy Spirit to give us openings into their hearts that have unseen portals.
Create a revolution. Men are always tired of religion that is not faith. Women are always looking for strong and valid relationships based on compassion. Children are always accepting of true love and concern. Create a revolution.
Get more concerned about loving God above all and loving your neighbor as yourself. Do that and a revolution will follow you and the Jesus that is in you. Quit worrying about the ten commandments and what some city is doing about Christmas. Get intimately concerned about how you exhibit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control and how you celebrate the coming of God to men.
Revolution is not what others think. Revolution is what God thinks and how we agree with Him.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Hypocritical Fish?
A recent foopaw was noted in the Christian community. Seems that on a Washington State Democratic Party website online store, an offensive sticker was sold. The sticker was in the shape of a fish with fire, the word Hypocrite, and a cross for the eye. Not knowing the intent of the barb, I have little to say what it meant.
Maybe it was a frustrated Christian wondering why other Christians were condeming hurting people to hell. After all hell is not punishment for committed sins in the bible I read. It is the endgame for staying separated from God and not accepting Christ as redeemer and savior. Isn't it? Does the gossip (those who spread negative words about others) burn in the same hell as the homosexual? Abortion never made it to the list of the seven deadly sins like slander. Who is the judge of men's hearts anyway? Or maybe they all can live in the same heaven through Christ's redemptive blood?
It amazes me to have seen what I have seen said about these people in Washington State of which none of us know anything. From what I have seen, Democrats are going to hell for being Democrats. Huh?
Lest we be found guilty of the intent of the sticker, what does being a Democrat or a Republican have to do with Christianity? There is certainly a lean against Christian morality in the Democratic party as a whole. Yet, there is a certain lean against Christian compassion in the Republican party as a whole. Is one better than the other? Is it a matter of party or of personal commitment to Christ.
When the righteous rule the city rejoices. Neither party counts in that sentence. Only the heart of the man or woman is counted righteous in Christ. It is a tragedy that a mistake is made in posting such an item of anger from any group. It would be a greater tragedy to attack, slander, and gossip against someone for an action for which we have no explanation.
What was their intent?
What was their interpretation?
Who was the delegated person who posted it?
Was it intentional?
Were they hacked and set up?
We do not know. We should not say.
Silence may be misinterpreted. It is hard to misquote.
Maybe it was a frustrated Christian wondering why other Christians were condeming hurting people to hell. After all hell is not punishment for committed sins in the bible I read. It is the endgame for staying separated from God and not accepting Christ as redeemer and savior. Isn't it? Does the gossip (those who spread negative words about others) burn in the same hell as the homosexual? Abortion never made it to the list of the seven deadly sins like slander. Who is the judge of men's hearts anyway? Or maybe they all can live in the same heaven through Christ's redemptive blood?
It amazes me to have seen what I have seen said about these people in Washington State of which none of us know anything. From what I have seen, Democrats are going to hell for being Democrats. Huh?
Lest we be found guilty of the intent of the sticker, what does being a Democrat or a Republican have to do with Christianity? There is certainly a lean against Christian morality in the Democratic party as a whole. Yet, there is a certain lean against Christian compassion in the Republican party as a whole. Is one better than the other? Is it a matter of party or of personal commitment to Christ.
When the righteous rule the city rejoices. Neither party counts in that sentence. Only the heart of the man or woman is counted righteous in Christ. It is a tragedy that a mistake is made in posting such an item of anger from any group. It would be a greater tragedy to attack, slander, and gossip against someone for an action for which we have no explanation.
What was their intent?
What was their interpretation?
Who was the delegated person who posted it?
Was it intentional?
Were they hacked and set up?
We do not know. We should not say.
Silence may be misinterpreted. It is hard to misquote.
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