Music seems to do more for me than ever. Not just the stuff that I have always listened to, but there is a lot of stuff out there today that I am drawn to. Musical styles matter less and passion matters more.
that is why Stevie ray hit a nerve. Seeing him play was like a religious experience. God gave this man the gift of music. Whether or not he was a believer, I do not know. But I know Blues is good. And all good things come from the Father.
some of the new stuff I like is the same way. Passion drives some, but most are cookie cutters that are placed in front of the masses just to make a buck.
CCM music is no different. Each genre is covered, each style, each look. I pretty much stopped listening to CCM when we started putting out boy bands. It was a little much for me. Booty dancing Christians in concert shaking their "money maker" seemed a bit weird. But that is just me.
because we all need a little nudge sometimes in worship, music seems to be the best thing. Being set up, or "chemically altered" for worship by our favorite song produces not quite what I see scripture saying about worship in Spirit and Truth. After all, we now have worship pastors and lead worshipers, rather than music ministers. Possibly just a sign of the changing "emerging church" culture, but possibly the beginning of something much much more.
music has taken over the prime source of "worship" in most of our churches. We worship, then the pastor preaches.
while this is not a new understanding, the primacy we are placing on music in the church today is quite alarming. Mainly because most of the songs are about what we want and can get. Seldom are we face down broken over our sinfulness when we sing. Mainly, we feel good about life cause the songs we sing have more to do with our reward than our condition and our responsibility.
of course, I personally have been part of only a few services where the Word was preached in such a way as to produce a congregation wide movement to the floor as to repent over our sin either. Each time I was part of the audience.
the Passion Movement has helped deal with this problem somewhat, but the music is mainly played and led by guys and bands who seldom get any recognition outside the "emerging church". kinda like the anti establishment movement that Jesus began a few years ago.
a friend of mine pointed out something I had been dealing with. Worship for me has less and less to do with a hymn, or an endless repeating of a 1 verse chorus, and more to do with seeing and sensing God in more and more areas out side the walls we have tried so desperately to keep Jesus in.
so while it is sometimes good to allow music that "sends us" to take a role in our worship of this great and holy God we serve, it is more important to see Jesus in the homeless, in the sound of a child crying, in the look of loneliness, in the joy of love, in the moment of clarity when we see Jesus for more than we make Him, but author of all life who is searching out for the hearts of those who truly seek him.
My romance with Jesus has more to do with who I see Jesus in and where I see Him all week and less to do with me trying to get into a mood that may be "chemically" altered by an emotion produced by my favorite song.
6.11.2005
6.10.2005
Solicitation of Prostitution
these are thoughts from mid April as we were working through a major life change. major to me, maybe not to others. but, you know the deal...major happens to me, minor happens to others.
As I try and work through the events of the last few weeks, several thoughts come to my weary mind. Circumstances have led us to a point of concern for immediate employment. For the first time in a long time, there are seemingly no over riding influences from what has been my employ for a number of years...The Church. And to put my family before the church is a new move for me. And it feels good.
not that my time with the Bride was all bad, far from it. people I hae had the joy of knowing and even influencing still holds great memories and wonderful rewards. it is just different.
as we have been taken off the "starting rotation", there is left in my mind a sense of bewilderment. Even though we both need jobs, pretty damn quick I might add, and even though a huge opportunity has been offered, there is a feeling of whoredom that has come to my mind.
We are not going to a place with the opportunity to serve on a Church staff, nor are we going with the intention of starting something. We are simply going as a matter of need. As a middle age man with some sense of the future in kind, retirement is looking closer than it ever has. With no savings and no nest egg to fall back on, financial considerations must be part of the picture.
so why do I feel like such a whore?
I have felt sometimes like I left the Church in a time of need. Not that I could fix Her ills, but like I was an able body who decided to work somewhere else because I did not like the job I had. Now that the "Primal Experiment" did not pan out the way I had envisioned, the realization of missing God has come home. Yet, as we still seek to honor God with our lives and especially our decision making, we believe we are following His will for us...For now.
in the dictionary under "making bad decisions", there is my picture. So we are where we are because of some bad decisions.
making a move with out going to a Church is a little weird. But it is exciting.
It seems as though I have been given a sabatical opportunity. I pray that I will use wisely the time that has been given.
As I try and work through the events of the last few weeks, several thoughts come to my weary mind. Circumstances have led us to a point of concern for immediate employment. For the first time in a long time, there are seemingly no over riding influences from what has been my employ for a number of years...The Church. And to put my family before the church is a new move for me. And it feels good.
not that my time with the Bride was all bad, far from it. people I hae had the joy of knowing and even influencing still holds great memories and wonderful rewards. it is just different.
as we have been taken off the "starting rotation", there is left in my mind a sense of bewilderment. Even though we both need jobs, pretty damn quick I might add, and even though a huge opportunity has been offered, there is a feeling of whoredom that has come to my mind.
We are not going to a place with the opportunity to serve on a Church staff, nor are we going with the intention of starting something. We are simply going as a matter of need. As a middle age man with some sense of the future in kind, retirement is looking closer than it ever has. With no savings and no nest egg to fall back on, financial considerations must be part of the picture.
so why do I feel like such a whore?
I have felt sometimes like I left the Church in a time of need. Not that I could fix Her ills, but like I was an able body who decided to work somewhere else because I did not like the job I had. Now that the "Primal Experiment" did not pan out the way I had envisioned, the realization of missing God has come home. Yet, as we still seek to honor God with our lives and especially our decision making, we believe we are following His will for us...For now.
in the dictionary under "making bad decisions", there is my picture. So we are where we are because of some bad decisions.
making a move with out going to a Church is a little weird. But it is exciting.
It seems as though I have been given a sabatical opportunity. I pray that I will use wisely the time that has been given.
5.31.2005
Conversations
I got a call from a very dear friend the other day. He is struggling with some directional issues in his life, and he called me and a few other friends to ask us to pray to the Father for a specific Word about his current situation.
This was not a call to say "will you pray for me." most of us get those and seldom bombard Heaven for a specific Word from God. This was a request to pull out all the stops and seek Jesus for a Word of Knowledge for my brother. I was honored to be asked. I felt like I was about to be privy to something cool.
So, as usual, I began to think about how we ask and get asked to pray for certain things.
in my life, I have taken lightly the opportunity to pray for a fellow believer. Unless, of course, they were close and I knew they would pray for me.
I have used the old "I'll be prayin for you" answer more times than I care to admit to, just to sound spiritual and pious. I guess I always wanted to pray for folks, it just seemed that I would forget.
so why was this request so different? Why is it so important that I differentiate between the casual and the specific? Is it because there is an honest desire to get others involved in an outcome? After all, most folks really want to be left alone, unless they are in need. Is it because there is a sense of outcome when we ask others to truly be specific when we pray?
many have written countless books and papers on the subject so I am not going to do any justice to the subject here.
I do know this. When a friend calls with expectancy, I am more likely to pray with expectancy.
and now, in my current situation, it is important to live and pray with expectancy.
we are all so busy. With life, kids, jobs, stuff. Because we are such consumers, many times our attitudes when we pray for others is just like every thing else. I know in my mind, there must be a reward for really praying for another. And as usual, I turn the situation around so somehow, someway, it benefits me.
I think the knowledge I walk away with is this...I suck at genuine, ferverant, passionate prayer. Especially for others.
for so many years, it was as if prayer was part of my job. It sounds worse than it is, but it feels like it sometimes. Now, my prayers are not a cry to "bless the message", or some other event I had planned.
now, prayer is more like a genuine conversation with someone I am actually getting to know all over again. No hidden agendas, no give me this and I will do that. Just conversation laced with much much thanks.
many great opportunities that were given to me were not taken advantage of. Many ministers would have loved to be where I have been. I say I am sorry more times than I want to. I have left with my tail between my legs. Now as I sit here and ask Jesus for a Word for my brother, I secretly ask for a word for me. What I really want to hear is "hey, I know you blew it. But it's ok." after all these years, a pat on the head, a stroke of the cheek, a simple whisper, calms a heart and stills the nerves.
funny how He speaks, when He speaks. Funny how He loves us. Wonderful how He loves me.
This was not a call to say "will you pray for me." most of us get those and seldom bombard Heaven for a specific Word from God. This was a request to pull out all the stops and seek Jesus for a Word of Knowledge for my brother. I was honored to be asked. I felt like I was about to be privy to something cool.
So, as usual, I began to think about how we ask and get asked to pray for certain things.
in my life, I have taken lightly the opportunity to pray for a fellow believer. Unless, of course, they were close and I knew they would pray for me.
I have used the old "I'll be prayin for you" answer more times than I care to admit to, just to sound spiritual and pious. I guess I always wanted to pray for folks, it just seemed that I would forget.
so why was this request so different? Why is it so important that I differentiate between the casual and the specific? Is it because there is an honest desire to get others involved in an outcome? After all, most folks really want to be left alone, unless they are in need. Is it because there is a sense of outcome when we ask others to truly be specific when we pray?
many have written countless books and papers on the subject so I am not going to do any justice to the subject here.
I do know this. When a friend calls with expectancy, I am more likely to pray with expectancy.
and now, in my current situation, it is important to live and pray with expectancy.
we are all so busy. With life, kids, jobs, stuff. Because we are such consumers, many times our attitudes when we pray for others is just like every thing else. I know in my mind, there must be a reward for really praying for another. And as usual, I turn the situation around so somehow, someway, it benefits me.
I think the knowledge I walk away with is this...I suck at genuine, ferverant, passionate prayer. Especially for others.
for so many years, it was as if prayer was part of my job. It sounds worse than it is, but it feels like it sometimes. Now, my prayers are not a cry to "bless the message", or some other event I had planned.
now, prayer is more like a genuine conversation with someone I am actually getting to know all over again. No hidden agendas, no give me this and I will do that. Just conversation laced with much much thanks.
many great opportunities that were given to me were not taken advantage of. Many ministers would have loved to be where I have been. I say I am sorry more times than I want to. I have left with my tail between my legs. Now as I sit here and ask Jesus for a Word for my brother, I secretly ask for a word for me. What I really want to hear is "hey, I know you blew it. But it's ok." after all these years, a pat on the head, a stroke of the cheek, a simple whisper, calms a heart and stills the nerves.
funny how He speaks, when He speaks. Funny how He loves us. Wonderful how He loves me.
5.24.2005
recycled stuff
another oldie...enjoy
Many thoughts have come and gone in this space between my ears. Some have taken up space for many years. Like the fax machine. I still freak out about how that works. Others stay for a few min and fade away. Most of the really good ones leave marks. marks that never heal. Here is a reference to one of the good ones...
I am a dangerous man. Why? For reasons known only to Himself, God has chosen me to have the opportunity to impact people. 3 in particular. I thought about that as I went to see my son yesterday. We hung out, ate, and generally enjoyed being with each other. Then it hit me. He is a product of his parents teaching. Good or bad, the way he thinks about God, church, and other things is a result of his parents.
Most people go through life grappling for something to hold on to. Something worthy of building their lives around. Something they hope will see them through the really hard times. When people die, jobs give out, accidents happen, financial difficulties hit, children get sick, people disappoint, friends turn on you. There must be something that can get us through.
we have all heard the deal with opinions. They are like arm pits, we all have one or two...Usually they stink.
so when the opportunity arises to impact people with mere words, these thoughts become real. Jim Jones used words. Hitler used words. Stalin used words. David Koresh used words. Thousands of men and women are using words today to impact and direct the thoughts and actions of millions.
words. Empty, shallow, meaningless words.
What is so different now? American pulpits are full of men who stand in front of congregations and turn blind eyes to known sin. Lack of preparation (I point to myself here as well) has turned powerful preaching into 20-30 min of opinion and leave people wanting and thirsting for a move of Holy God. We have turned a movement into a gathering and morality is the chief conversation. Our worship has become self serving, self gratifying acts that seldom do more than get our mouths to mutter words when our minds are thinking of a hundred other things. We tip our hats to God as we come and go through a day seldom giving acknowledgment of the grandeur of majesty and holiness that is our God.
we will become dangerous when we refuse to be herded into the same feeding trough as the religious mamby pamby who want sweet and harmless and powerless words.
dangerous to the institutional way of thinking. Dangerous to those who keep in bondage the people of God. Dangerous to the evil one.
who knows...Maybe we can learn to see the beauty of one who wore a camels skin loin clothe and ate bugs and honey. That was a dangerous man.
there is where I want to live.
wanna go?
Many thoughts have come and gone in this space between my ears. Some have taken up space for many years. Like the fax machine. I still freak out about how that works. Others stay for a few min and fade away. Most of the really good ones leave marks. marks that never heal. Here is a reference to one of the good ones...
I am a dangerous man. Why? For reasons known only to Himself, God has chosen me to have the opportunity to impact people. 3 in particular. I thought about that as I went to see my son yesterday. We hung out, ate, and generally enjoyed being with each other. Then it hit me. He is a product of his parents teaching. Good or bad, the way he thinks about God, church, and other things is a result of his parents.
Most people go through life grappling for something to hold on to. Something worthy of building their lives around. Something they hope will see them through the really hard times. When people die, jobs give out, accidents happen, financial difficulties hit, children get sick, people disappoint, friends turn on you. There must be something that can get us through.
we have all heard the deal with opinions. They are like arm pits, we all have one or two...Usually they stink.
so when the opportunity arises to impact people with mere words, these thoughts become real. Jim Jones used words. Hitler used words. Stalin used words. David Koresh used words. Thousands of men and women are using words today to impact and direct the thoughts and actions of millions.
words. Empty, shallow, meaningless words.
What is so different now? American pulpits are full of men who stand in front of congregations and turn blind eyes to known sin. Lack of preparation (I point to myself here as well) has turned powerful preaching into 20-30 min of opinion and leave people wanting and thirsting for a move of Holy God. We have turned a movement into a gathering and morality is the chief conversation. Our worship has become self serving, self gratifying acts that seldom do more than get our mouths to mutter words when our minds are thinking of a hundred other things. We tip our hats to God as we come and go through a day seldom giving acknowledgment of the grandeur of majesty and holiness that is our God.
we will become dangerous when we refuse to be herded into the same feeding trough as the religious mamby pamby who want sweet and harmless and powerless words.
dangerous to the institutional way of thinking. Dangerous to those who keep in bondage the people of God. Dangerous to the evil one.
who knows...Maybe we can learn to see the beauty of one who wore a camels skin loin clothe and ate bugs and honey. That was a dangerous man.
there is where I want to live.
wanna go?
5.17.2005
Kindred Spirits
I wrote this a couple of years ago as a devotional...it hit me hard today as I read it. hope you enjoy...
Sometimes, I get the opportunity to read the letters in Scripture as they were written, in one sitting. It open us up to the whole message rather than a verse or a chapter. The big picture, so to speak.
most of the time, the thoughts that stay and leave marks in our minds, come when we are not looking for them. Such is the case for me today.
I love watching people. They are the same every where. Wonderful creations of a loving God. Parents with their kids. Senior adults. Teens. Thugs and thuglets, hooches and nerds. All created and upheld by the very hand of God.
Paul write to the Philippians church with such love and concern that it seems he dotes over them as a mother over a new born babe. Concerned about every aspect of their growth and life. Concerned about their continuing education and knowledge of God . Wanting to be with them, but because of house arrest, unable to leave.
who else could he send that would love them and be as concerned for them?
Timothy. Listen to this.
"For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus." Phil 2:20-21
This is a huge statement. And a statement that goes to the heart of community.
think outside your little box for a moment here.
Who else could love, serve, heal, help, encourage and save those which He created but His own son? It wasn't as though God was holding auditions for Messiah. The word itself says "anointed, or Chosen" one. So, there was no choice. But this goes a little deeper than that. As God sent His Son, He was sending Himself. There was so much love and concern for His people He sent Himself.
I have a few people in my life that are kindred spirits. We have passion for the God of the Bible. These bonds were formed at the crossroads of self and reality. Sooner or later we will come to this place. A place that shakes every thing we believe to the core of who we are. On the other side of this is birthed a realization that we have looked after our own interests our entire lives. Now, something greater than that is here. When we come to this place and allow God to move us past our selves things change. Everything changes.
this transformation is not as popular as one might think. Church is not full of people like this. "for they all seek after their own interest, not those of Christ Jesus."
what would it look like if we all sought after the interest of Christ Jesus? What would preaching be like? What would worship be like? What would service look like? What would Sunday school look like?
Christians today have few examples from which to watch and learn. Unlike Timothy, we do not have a man like Paul in our lives who is imprisoned and beaten and stoned for the Faith. Most of our mentors are people who are upstanding members of the community. There are certainly none who can be called trouble makers, meaning that we have all become professional Christians.
no need for all that stuff any more...Right?
When did it become the "interest of Christ Jesus" for the Church to have the same standing as the Mormon temple, or the Jehovah's witness Tabernacle, or the Muslim Temple in the community?
His interests are mighty and life changing and full of Power. That is the test. As you worship Sunday. Ask your self whose interests are being met. Yours, or His.
Sometimes, I get the opportunity to read the letters in Scripture as they were written, in one sitting. It open us up to the whole message rather than a verse or a chapter. The big picture, so to speak.
most of the time, the thoughts that stay and leave marks in our minds, come when we are not looking for them. Such is the case for me today.
I love watching people. They are the same every where. Wonderful creations of a loving God. Parents with their kids. Senior adults. Teens. Thugs and thuglets, hooches and nerds. All created and upheld by the very hand of God.
Paul write to the Philippians church with such love and concern that it seems he dotes over them as a mother over a new born babe. Concerned about every aspect of their growth and life. Concerned about their continuing education and knowledge of God . Wanting to be with them, but because of house arrest, unable to leave.
who else could he send that would love them and be as concerned for them?
Timothy. Listen to this.
"For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus." Phil 2:20-21
This is a huge statement. And a statement that goes to the heart of community.
think outside your little box for a moment here.
Who else could love, serve, heal, help, encourage and save those which He created but His own son? It wasn't as though God was holding auditions for Messiah. The word itself says "anointed, or Chosen" one. So, there was no choice. But this goes a little deeper than that. As God sent His Son, He was sending Himself. There was so much love and concern for His people He sent Himself.
I have a few people in my life that are kindred spirits. We have passion for the God of the Bible. These bonds were formed at the crossroads of self and reality. Sooner or later we will come to this place. A place that shakes every thing we believe to the core of who we are. On the other side of this is birthed a realization that we have looked after our own interests our entire lives. Now, something greater than that is here. When we come to this place and allow God to move us past our selves things change. Everything changes.
this transformation is not as popular as one might think. Church is not full of people like this. "for they all seek after their own interest, not those of Christ Jesus."
what would it look like if we all sought after the interest of Christ Jesus? What would preaching be like? What would worship be like? What would service look like? What would Sunday school look like?
Christians today have few examples from which to watch and learn. Unlike Timothy, we do not have a man like Paul in our lives who is imprisoned and beaten and stoned for the Faith. Most of our mentors are people who are upstanding members of the community. There are certainly none who can be called trouble makers, meaning that we have all become professional Christians.
no need for all that stuff any more...Right?
When did it become the "interest of Christ Jesus" for the Church to have the same standing as the Mormon temple, or the Jehovah's witness Tabernacle, or the Muslim Temple in the community?
His interests are mighty and life changing and full of Power. That is the test. As you worship Sunday. Ask your self whose interests are being met. Yours, or His.
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