Red Culture

Later today we will depart to Des Monies for the Red Culture Convention! It is exciting because it is breaking out of the normal routine for youth convention as we know it. I am excited to reach new levels and new souls this weekend! Our teenagers are going to be performing some drama skits that they have been working on and it is going to be awesome! I am praying that great things are going to take place. I am excited about the theme. "Red Culture" "living life in the red" In many Bibles the words that Jesus spoke are written in red. Our goal is to create a culture that is based on the words of Jesus. It really is a powerful movement that is going to start among our young people this weekend. If you look at the entire time span of history and realize that Jesus was here in the flesh for only 33 years or so. actually ministering for only about 3 years, I gotta believe that the things he said were the most important things that we needed to know. (not that the rest of the bible is not important) I am excited to live life in the red this weekend, and to continue on after the weekend is over. I am praying that this is not just an event but the beginning of a movement!

Kindness leads to repentence

Romans Chapter 2 verse 4 says "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" I think this is a very key verse in this chapter for me this morning. The beginning of chapter 2 talks about judging people, and basically says, not to! :) I think that verse 4 puts a good handle on things and is one of the many great things about God. Other religions thrive on fear and on an individual earning there right to be in a good place with their god or gods. Many times condemnation brings fear, anger, and even further rebellion. It seems to be such a fine line to walk sometimes to speak truth, and yet not come across as being condemning or judgemental. According to this verse, kindness is the key. To drive someone to Christ out of fear is just wrong. Fear (as in being scared) is not of God. He came to destroy things like fear. We need to lead people to Jesus because of his kindness, and patience and forgiveness, which is ultimately his love for us. Coming to Jesus out of a fear of going to hell is missing the point. It takes away the idea of relationship, and that is very dangerous. It leads to empty religion. I hope I can show kindness today, and keep the judgements under control! Have a great day!

Trading in Natural for Unnatural

I am starting to read Romans now, and in chapter 1 it talks about how people have traded natural relations with unnatural relations with one another. It also talks about trading the truth of God for a lie. I am hesitant to talk about this topic because "Christians" have many times dealt with this sin inappropriately when they see it in other peoples lives. As a result of that it makes people angry when someone brings up God and this topic. Yet I am feeling compelled to share my view of how I think God sees this. First of all, the Bible defines homosexuality, and lesbianism, as sin. That in and of itself is the big controversy today. You may ask, how can it be sin if it is love? God is love right? Why would he be against this? When we exchange the natural for the unnatural we fall away from his plan of perfect love. His way and his love are natural. People throughout history have had a warped views of love. The man who hits his wife and then tells her he loves her, or the serial killer who "loved" his victims. Obviously these are extreme examples, and people were hurt or killed, but still, it was a view that was held as love that nearly all would agree as being false and twisted. I want to walk in God's natural love, if others choose not to, that is between them and God. You know what else is un-natural to God's ways? Further on in chapter 1 of Romans, it talks about the depraved mind. some of the adjectives it uses to describe the depraved mind are: senseless, heartless, ruthless... So, as Christians if we deal with any sin being senseless, heartless, and ruthless to another person we are no better... just a thought. I am praying that people will accept pure love, God's natural love. I am also praying that I will display this natural love through my words and actions today. In my opinion gay marriage is a minor issue in the scheme of things. The real question is, Do you know Jesus as your personal savior...? If so all the other things will fall into place as you continue to walk with him.

Self-Talk

I heard a podcast yesterday from Kris Vallotton, he said that "Psychologist say that we have 1,200 words a minute of self-talk, and about 1,100 of them are negative thoughts."

We are in spiritual warfare. Those negative thoughts are not our own. They are from the enemy. We are constantly influenced, and we need to fight back. God does not tear us down. He does not destroy our self-image. We are made in his image, and he is not going to talk bad about himself! We need to constantly be filling our minds with what God says about us, in doing so we can destroy self-doubt, depression, anxiety, or really any other limiting factor of that sort. If we believe it is our thought, then we can debate whether it is true or not. We need to recognize that those negative thoughts we have about ourselves are not the truth, but are actually put in our minds to destroy us. I don't know how many times I have not done something God wanted me to do, because I didn't think I could do it, because I wasn't good enough, or to scared to try. When we realize those thoughts are not our own, but instead they are a spiritual attack, we can overcome them through Christ.


1 John 5:4-6 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 6 This is the one who came by water and blood-- Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

It doesn't always have to be the same

Reading in Mark chapter 14 today. It is pretty evident that Jesus and the disciples did a lot to help the poor. I think that is further backed up in this chapter when Jesus is anointed with perfume. They had probably sold pretty much all the things that people had given them to help provide for the poor. I think that perhaps the disciples had grown accustomed to this and that is why they were upset that this woman had used the perfume "wastefully" from there point of view. I am convinced more and more, that we need to stop trying to figure out patterns of God, and just try to figure out how to keep listening to him. This time was different. It wasn't for the poor, yet it was still the right thing to do! No doubt, in situations like these when we try to understand and predict God's next move in our human logic, we will certainly fail. Of course there are many things about the character of God that do not change, but how he applies those character traits to our lives is always different and up for change at any time. Have a good weekend everyone!

I can hear the rhythm of the lion of the tribe of Judah

Reading in Mark chapter 13 today. It talks about end times, and the return of Jesus. My attitude toward trouble in the world has changed over the last year. I certainly am not glad to see people suffering and I have compassion for those that are in war, or famine, or suffering with disease, but something inside of me also has a sense of excitement, because we are that much closer to the Jesus coming back! Every event that happens it is like I can hear the rhythm of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Jesus). Time is running short and we must be influencers in our culture, and better yet influencers in other cultures! With the diversity in America we can enter into a different culture by going across town, or even just down the street. I really want to make sure I keep my ear attuned to the rhythm of the lion of the tribe of Judah. It spurs me on, keeps me going. just like a timed game, the closer it is to time running out the faster and harder you push to get the most you can done. As the roar and footsteps gets louder, I want to keep going strong. It is go time!

Influence

I thought a lot about influence yesterday. We can be influenced or we can influence. At different times they both can be good or bad. In Mark chapter 12 the Pharisees came up to Jesus and said:


Mark 12:14 14 They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

Of course these kind words from the pharisees were only to set him up for a trap, but they are still true. Jesus was never influenced in an unhealthy way. He didn't change his stance right before he was crucified to try to get out of it, he also did not let the total lost-ness of man depress him, or the fact that people were out to destroy him bring him down to the point were it disabled him from doing what needed to be done. I don't think Jesus ever thought he had a bad day. Obviously he had very difficult days. Jesus was influenced by his Father, and lead by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is influenced positively to compassion by people that are hurting. We need to be influencers of truth in peoples lives, and not influenced by lies. No matter how bad the situation is there is a truth of God that should allow us continue on in faith. If we are influenced by lies we become bound up, trapped, caught in a downward spiral. The truth of God loosens, releases and breaks the spiral. Lord influence me today, and help me to influence others today with your truth!