Raised or Razed?

The word of God is an awesome and powerful tool. In the book of Matthew, when Jesus was tempted by Satan, He didn't respond with a deep revelation or a sermon, He simply quoted God's word.

The word of God can be used to "raise" (to lift up or encourage, build up) but it can also be used to "raze" (to tear down or destroy). Just like any tool, its affect is determined by the individual using it. The Bible says, the Lord rebukes or punishes those He loves (Rev 3:19). When the word of God is used out of love and humility, even in bringing sin to light, it will raise you.

Then we have what I refer to as, "spiritual assassins", those who will use God's word out of selfishness and pride. They use the Bible to rebuke emotionally, condemning under the guise of tough love. These "spiritual assasins" are the administrator of the scriptural beat down. This use of the word will cause its subject to be razed.

The difference in using God's word to "raise" or "raze" is not in what is said or even how it is said. The difference is made in the heart of the person sharing the word. So, are you a "raiser" or a "razer"? A builder or assassin?

-JM

Hunger, Pt. 2- The Eliminator of Fear or Reason

As I continue on with my journey of learning how hunger can relate to my faithand my pursuit of Christ, I've been reading about how hunger has affected peoplein the Bible. In doing this, I notice one common denominator- hunger is an eliminator of fear or reason.

Hunger caused Esau to sell his birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of soup (Gen 25). Without reason, Esau reduced his birth right- a promise to be prosperous, blessed with many children, and to bless nations- to nothing more than soup. Esau could have bought many bowls of soup and if he would have waited a little longer, I'm sure he would not have been skipped over at the dinner table.

Immense hunger caused a woman to propose a deal with her neighbor to boil and eat their sons (2Kings 6). This story causes my heart to weap with great sorrow. A child lost his life to the selfish nature of his hunger-driven mother.This poor child was reduced to a meal arrangement between two neighbors. Even worse, the mother did not weap for the loss of her son, she weaps because her neighbor wont give up her son to be eaten.

Four leprous men sat outside the city gates, filled with hunger. As they talked amongst themselves,they explored their options. They could stay outside the gates and die of hunger, they could enter the famine-filled city and die of hunger or risk their lives by going into the enemies' camp where there was plenty of food. With no fearof death, they chose the latter. In the end, they were victorious and took food back to the starving city and shared it with others (2Kings 7). These four men allowed hunger to eleminate their fear but not their ability to reason.

What will you allow your hunger to motivate you to do?

Hunger- The best seasoning.

It has been said that hunger is the best seasoning. Anyone that has ever missed several meals can tell you that this statement is loaded with truth. Now, there is no actual seasoning called "Hunger" but it simply meanswhen you become hungry enough, ANYTHING tastes good.

As my wife and I were in the midst of a 21 day fast, we were both sitting at the dinner table sipping broth. We both agreed that the vegetable broth was THE best meal we had ever tasted. This got me thinking, "I wonder how hunger relates to God's word and to us spiritually?"

The Bible says, "Blessed are they that hunger for they shall be filled" (Luke 6:21). If you notice, it never said we will be filled with what we want or desire. I believe this means we will be filled with what we need.

Here's the awesome part- if we are truly hungry, it doesn't matter what the food tastes like. We could nosh on something sweet, salty or what we might otherwise find hard to swallow and we will eat it with gladness because it is what we NEED.

-JM

The Perception of the Cross

I have often said that people live out and react to the reality of their perception. I say it in reference to what ever we perceive or believe to be our reality is our reality, whether or not it is true. Our view point affects how we receive information, ideas and concepts. It is for this reason two people can look at a painting, listen to music or even read a scripture out of the same Bible and find two different meanings.

Often times our views are greatly affected by how we are feeling- either good, bad, happy or sad. As I look at this concept in regards to the cross I have realized that it has had more than one meaning in my life. Depending on the day it is a symbol of suffering, death and crucifixion. It represents the sacrifices that we must make in life. The surrendering of our wills and the destruction of our human nature. Other days, it serves as a symbol of life, redemption, love, commitment, obedience, grace and mercy. It reminds us of God's power to heal, restore and deliver. It stands as a symbol of victory and freedom.

Though my perception of the cross is always based on the circumstances I am faced with in life, its reality holds true in my heart. The reality is it means all of those things. To them that believe we welcome both because we have learned that in both we find life.

If a man shall lose his life he will find it.

-JM

Quote of the Day

"I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of; for to have been thought about, born in God's thought, and then made by God, is the dearest grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking."

-George MacDonald

The Walmart Church Aisle

So I had this weird idea.

What if Wal-Mart had a Church Aisle?

No really, think about it.

Wal-Mart focuses on products that are cheap to make and easy to sell, and easy to sell in mass quantities. So what kind of Churches would Wal-Mart sell?

Would they sell Mega Churches with stadium seating? Maybe Denominational Churches with stain glass windows? Or maybe "Gatherings" with a "Speaker" who gives a "Talk" and then leads a "Conversation." And if you asked one of the workers in a blue vest, you know the blue vest that says, "How can I help you?," if they would be able to tell you which churches work best and which churches are no longer culturally relevant, so don't waste your money.

I wonder if the Chinese CPM would be on the shelf? It would definitely be the cheapest, but it would have to have a warning label of some kind like, "this church may cause death by martyr."

If you were buying a church in Wal-Mart, what are things that you would look for? Different preaching style, better worship band, more church events, less church events?

After “church shopping” with my husband a couple years ago, I found myself comparing churches like I might if they were sold on a shelf at Wal-Mart. Though I don't exactly see church as a product to be sold, the fact is that many Americans do. In fact, many churches see church as a product to be sold. And despite the American Church's marketing efforts, many people are losing interest.

I'm afraid I might be one of those people, I'm losing interest in the American Church.

Don't get me wrong, I love to strategize and dream what a church might look like pulling its resources together and boldly engaging culture and individuals with the gospel of Jesus for His glory. It's just sometimes I wish finding that kind of church was as easy as driving to a Wal-Mart.

Imagine this, two friends are walking up and down the church aisle at Wal-Mart and the first begins to notice there are other people shopping for a church too. The second is intensely focused on finding the right church; he has several in his hands and he is reading the description of each very carefully. The first however, instead of looking and comparing between the different churches he begins to ask some of the other shoppers what they are looking for and why. He discovers that some are Christians, and some are not. He talks with one lady who had a wonderful church experience and shares how she became a believer, meanwhile the second friend sets down the Chinese CPM and replaces it with the "Rick Warren Bobble Head." The first develops another conversation with a young unmarried couple who had a really bad church experience, but were still hoping there might be a church that would welcome them; he gets an opportunity to share his love for Jesus. The second person walks away with a cool young church where the pastor wears blue jeans and the drummer wears a v-neck t-shirt with skinny jeans.

In this story I want more than anything to be the first person, engaging others in conversation and sharing my faith- the missionary. Too many of us act more like the second person going from church to church making comparisons- a shopper.

-AM