PrayerMetro puts out thoughts to provoke thinking not preach religion. Think. Meditate. Pause. Pray. Consider. Act.
What is a Moral Center?
Over the years, I've read much about Judeo-Christian values. Most can't really tell me what they mean and most have a different interpretation. Most refer to people thinking and acting according to a personal definition of right and wrong acquired through reading and interpreting scripture, other writings, and personal experience.
If that is true, then how do you steer lives and make decisions based on shifting values? Is that any different that situation based ethics? Yes, it is. And it needs to be.
Moral Center is a term I'd like to invent. Here is my definition.
There are certain positive values of morality that are common to people of faith and especially people of faith in the Creator, One God.
Justice
Mercy
Truthfulness
Dignity
Honor
Authority
Worship
Faithfulness
Loyalty
Service
Liberty
Faith
Love
Hope
Courage
Sacrifice
Benevolence
Maybe more than these. Each definitely has a definition. Each is interpreted by individuals in action and words.
There are also negatives of the Moral Center. These are items that should not exist in us.
Murder
Anger
Jealousy
Strife
Unfaithfulness in relationship
Personal gain at the expense of others
Greed
Theft
Dishonesty
We'll spend time on each of these over time.
Stay blessed. Get in the discussion.
Of course there is disagreement on how to walk out the moral center. But surely there can be more honest and respectful commitment to the moral center.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Generation X - Will you have a cause?
PrayerMetro puts out thoughts to provoke thinking not preach religion. Think. Meditate. Pause. Pray. Consider. Act.
A friend blogger posted this. I like it. It communicates. It talks. What will you do in response? This commands a response.
TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2011
A friend blogger posted this. I like it. It communicates. It talks. What will you do in response? This commands a response.
TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2011
Generation X
I am a member of what people call 'Generation X'. Why are we called Generation X? I think it is because there is nothing else to be. Where is the voice to listen to? Where are the leaders? The Ideas that change the world? Where are the Dr. Martin Luther Kings, the Malcolm X's, The Roosevelt's of our time? All the good ideas have been thought and sold. All the good themes used up and turned into theme parks. Who is there to look up to? Where are the fists in the air, the marching feet, the sound of will and individuality? There seems to be just this nothingness ahead of us. We are surrounded by mutiny instead of unity. Where are the ones to lead the change, and make the differences in the world? Everything is overdone and used up. What is left for us? Where are those who will stand? Those who will make tomorrow? Where are we? We are not Generation X by choice, there is just nothing else to be.
Friday, December 23, 2011
36 Square Feet
PrayerMetro puts out thoughts to provoke thinking not preach religion. Think. Meditate. Pause. Pray. Consider. Act.
36 Square Feet.
The typical American has a privacy zone of 3 feet any direction. That covers 36 square feet of space for each person. When we allow someone to enter that space, there is possibility of major change.
By changing the person in the middle of those 36 square feet, you can effect change to anyone with whom they have personal contact. The more individuals you change through thoughts and actions the more catalyst potential exists in a community. Think of all those squares bumping into each other on a given day.
Decisions Change the Squares
Last year at this time decision makers made a decision. They decided to wait, watch, and see.
Community Collision
Our community had a long time resource named the Oklahoma Family Policy Council. Over the years, it had good impact among youth in the schools and in information among legislators and community leaders. Involvement in cooperative efforts with congregations and other organizations brought visibility and support to family and fathering needs.
The decision resulted in change. The organization is gone. The need is not.
New Needs
New needs erupt over time in any community and culture. New approaches with maybe ancient messages have to be engaged. New faces have to come forward.
Pain - Just Do It!
Change requires pain. My friend, Jesus, once advised that unless you plant a seed and let it die, you will never see growth. A single seed of corn can become a small piece of a meal or it can become the birth of thousands of other seeds through planting and growth.
Voice
In my prayers and pains watching and intersecting with our community, sensitivity to need strengthens. There needs to be effective voices for the right messages.
Fixing Fractures
Family is really the only positive and generational solution to community chaos. The co-commitment of marriage and relationships of blood and bond keeps a community vibrant and humility intact.
Fathers must be strong. There just is no way to make a community work without strong fathers and men that support and protect. It is the way of things.
Faith turns the tide. People of faith are people of action. Action brings results.
Friction must be engaged with conversation and cooperation. You cannot ignore disagreements and conflicts of opposing ideas. There must be engagement at a visible and invisible level.
Front-line leadership is required. Figureheads serve a major purpose. Ignore this at risk. People follow leaders within organizations. Leadership must be touchable. They do not follow organizations with no visible and touchable leadership.
Just Thoughts
These are just thoughts. My prayer is we find a community solution in Oklahoma. Yesteday, I met with another leader in the community working on sexual assault and violence prevention. Raging issues run in the undercurrents. Without a clarion call to action with a clear course to take, the issues will continue to pound our community stability. Symptoms of domestic violence, date rape, painful divorce, child neglect and abandonment, discordant souls reaching for drugs and gangs to assuage pains of fractured relationships, sexual abuse, bullying, and other anti-social ills will persist among us always. There must be voices to speak in support of solutions. People know the problems exist though they may not realize how much destruction happens daily.
36 Square Feet of Change
May we birth something in our society to change our sphere. We can't change everything everywhere. We can change the 36 square feet around us.
36 Square Feet.
The typical American has a privacy zone of 3 feet any direction. That covers 36 square feet of space for each person. When we allow someone to enter that space, there is possibility of major change.
By changing the person in the middle of those 36 square feet, you can effect change to anyone with whom they have personal contact. The more individuals you change through thoughts and actions the more catalyst potential exists in a community. Think of all those squares bumping into each other on a given day.
Decisions Change the Squares
Last year at this time decision makers made a decision. They decided to wait, watch, and see.
Community Collision
Our community had a long time resource named the Oklahoma Family Policy Council. Over the years, it had good impact among youth in the schools and in information among legislators and community leaders. Involvement in cooperative efforts with congregations and other organizations brought visibility and support to family and fathering needs.
The decision resulted in change. The organization is gone. The need is not.
New Needs
New needs erupt over time in any community and culture. New approaches with maybe ancient messages have to be engaged. New faces have to come forward.
Pain - Just Do It!
Change requires pain. My friend, Jesus, once advised that unless you plant a seed and let it die, you will never see growth. A single seed of corn can become a small piece of a meal or it can become the birth of thousands of other seeds through planting and growth.
Voice
In my prayers and pains watching and intersecting with our community, sensitivity to need strengthens. There needs to be effective voices for the right messages.
Fixing Fractures
Family is really the only positive and generational solution to community chaos. The co-commitment of marriage and relationships of blood and bond keeps a community vibrant and humility intact.
Fathers must be strong. There just is no way to make a community work without strong fathers and men that support and protect. It is the way of things.
Faith turns the tide. People of faith are people of action. Action brings results.
Friction must be engaged with conversation and cooperation. You cannot ignore disagreements and conflicts of opposing ideas. There must be engagement at a visible and invisible level.
Front-line leadership is required. Figureheads serve a major purpose. Ignore this at risk. People follow leaders within organizations. Leadership must be touchable. They do not follow organizations with no visible and touchable leadership.
Just Thoughts
These are just thoughts. My prayer is we find a community solution in Oklahoma. Yesteday, I met with another leader in the community working on sexual assault and violence prevention. Raging issues run in the undercurrents. Without a clarion call to action with a clear course to take, the issues will continue to pound our community stability. Symptoms of domestic violence, date rape, painful divorce, child neglect and abandonment, discordant souls reaching for drugs and gangs to assuage pains of fractured relationships, sexual abuse, bullying, and other anti-social ills will persist among us always. There must be voices to speak in support of solutions. People know the problems exist though they may not realize how much destruction happens daily.
36 Square Feet of Change
May we birth something in our society to change our sphere. We can't change everything everywhere. We can change the 36 square feet around us.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Reticence or Patience?
PrayerMetro puts out thoughts to provoke thinking not preach religion. Think. Meditate. Pause. Pray. Consider. Act.
This blog has been neglected.
Reticence or patience?
Neither - persistence on other fronts.
In the last year, we have sent out over 100 new devotions and prayers.
In the last year, we have over 2000 on a weekly basis receiving prayer and devotion.
In the last year, we have added eight new legislative bodies in eight new states to prayer.
In the last year, we have preached and prayed directly for people for over 40 hours in person and will surpass 60 by end of year.
This year, I intend to get this blog back to higher ground and write to you once a week. It does not need to be long.
When you come here and are looking and don't find what you seek.... go on over to
prayermetrodevotion.blogspot.com
There is always fresh and new on that site.
This blog has been neglected.
Reticence or patience?
Neither - persistence on other fronts.
In the last year, we have sent out over 100 new devotions and prayers.
In the last year, we have over 2000 on a weekly basis receiving prayer and devotion.
In the last year, we have added eight new legislative bodies in eight new states to prayer.
In the last year, we have preached and prayed directly for people for over 40 hours in person and will surpass 60 by end of year.
This year, I intend to get this blog back to higher ground and write to you once a week. It does not need to be long.
When you come here and are looking and don't find what you seek.... go on over to
prayermetrodevotion.blogspot.com
There is always fresh and new on that site.
While crossing the metro, I have seen Him in the watchfires
As I crossed the city these last two months from the south to the east to the north to the west and to the middle, I have seen the same God.
In Latino, Black, and White churches - He is here.
In Nazarence, Baptist, Full Gospel, Independent, Pentecostal - He is here.
In quiet and noise and stillness and jumping - He is here.
In formal and informal - He is here.
He is stirring His people that call Him by His name.
He is healing His people who look up to Him.
He is calming His people who put their hope in His grace.
He is gathering His people to Himself in sweet embrace.
He is here.
In Latino, Black, and White churches - He is here.
In Nazarence, Baptist, Full Gospel, Independent, Pentecostal - He is here.
In quiet and noise and stillness and jumping - He is here.
In formal and informal - He is here.
He is stirring His people that call Him by His name.
He is healing His people who look up to Him.
He is calming His people who put their hope in His grace.
He is gathering His people to Himself in sweet embrace.
He is here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
