Taking Down the 10 Commandments Under the Cover of Darkness

(Original Post 2015)

On October 5, 2015 around 10:30 pm, under the cover of darkness, Oklahoma state employees removed the monument of the 10 commandments from the State capitol building grounds as ordered by a county judge.  This action has caused an uproar in the Christian community.  I wonder if the Christian community would be outraged to know that Christ, Himself, did the exact same thing two thousand years ago?

 

(Photo: Sue Ogrocki, AP) 

Under the cover of darkness (God- imposed darkness in the middle of the day, no less), Jesus died on a roman cross forever removing the LAW as our means to find reconciliation with the Father.  Yeah, I said it.  JESUS fulfilled the LAW Himself and offered to you and me the reward for keeping the LAW.  The "LAW" was fulfilled in Christ and those of us who are "in Christ" no longer are bound by something that has been fulfilled by He who indwells us. 

God gave us the "law" to live under because in the garden man chose the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  Knowing the difference between right and wrong and punishing wrong is the "law", or as we like to call it today - religion.  If you are in Christ and He is in you then you are no longer under the law but have been given a NEW commandment - "I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another.  By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."”(John 13:34-35) (emphasis added by me).  Christ did NOT carve this command onto a tablet of granite and post it in our front yard for the world to see.  He wrote it on our heart when He set us free from the law after we ate from the Tree of Life (Christ).

Most of my christian life I strove to keep the law out of a sense of trying to measure up to God's standards and ALWAYS failed miserably causing me to feel God was disappointed in me and my efforts to be holy.  NEWS FLASH:  I will never be 'good enough' to earn His love.  Christ died for me while I was still in my sin - not after I got my act together (like I already have - huh?).  He loved me at my worst and all He asks of me is to do the same for those around me - allow Him to love them at their worst - through me. 

All that to say - if YOU want to live under the law trying to keep those ten commands in your life and failing (Jesus says if you break one command you have broken them ALL!) and then trying to force that law down the throats of the unsaved in this world so you can prove to them what miserable failures they are - go ahead.  but know that you are not bringing them to Christ, you are rather driving them farther away.  Maybe try something different for a change - try allowing Christ to express His love to them through you.  That will require a daily trip to the cross for you (Matt 16:24).  The lost will respond to love a lot faster than to being brow-beaten with ten commandments that we cannot even keep! 

This is not a political problem we are experiencing in the U.S. - it is a heart problem and you cannot fix heart problems with the law.

Finding Jesus in Caleb

(Original Post 2015)

Earlier this week, my daughter and two grandchildren came to Terrell to visit my mother-in-law (her grandmother and the kids great-grandmother). I knew she was coming, but did not know what time, so I called her only to find out she was already there. She told me her time was limited and wanted to spend as much time with Grandma as possible, so I should come over there to see them. I finished up the work I was doing and drove over to Grandma's house, about a mile from my house. Pulling up to the house, I see my 8 yr old grandson, Caleb was sitting on the ground in the driveway - waiting. As I pulled into the driveway, he jumped up and started jumping up and down, excited to see me. Almost before I was out of the car, he leaped into my arms wrapping his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist squeezing as hard as he could. Words cannot describe how this made an old DPa feel (DPa is the name given me by my first grand).

('The Loving Father' by Dottie Zens)

Now, picture Christ waiting in front of His home. He sees you coming and before you even pull in He is running to meet you and as soon as you are accessible He wraps His arms around you, pulling you close for the best hug you will ever receive - not because you did something for Him, not because He is trying to get something from you - just because you came to see Him.

Sound familiar? The story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) mirrors this event in my mind. After realizing his monumental mistakes, the son decides to return home and beg his father for a job to work as a servant. Verse 20 says, "So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him." Forget that he squandered half  of his fathers wealth.  Forget the disrespect he showed his father when he left home.  His father ran and embraced him and kissed him in spite of what he had done.  He met him before he even got out of the car and jumped up throwing his arms around his son's neck and hugged him like there was no tomorrow.

I saw Christ in my grandson Caleb this week and I just wanted to share this with those of you who might read this so you might be looking for Christ in those around you, perhaps in the most unexpected people.  He is there - waiting for you.  And He has a hug waiting...

The Cross

Lately (the last couple of weeks) I have noticed a theme in God's revelations to, at least me, and seemingly many around me.  The cross. 

 

Since my humble start in the Baptist faith in 1967 I have heard of the cross.  The cross of Christ.  That instrument of death that the Romans used to crucify our Lord.  The symbol of the Christian faith.  I memorized verses like Luke 9:23 which says, "And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me."  And Galations 2:20 (one of my favorites) "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (both NASB).  The cross has always, until recently, been something associated with the death of Christ and, in a small way, something I was supposed to "carry". 

 

Over a year ago God began a total 'deconstruction' of my life.  Although I had been pursuing Him, the cross had yet to be a reality in my life.  To make a very long and complicated story short, He took everything that I held most dear in my life and made it worse than anything I could have imagined - and I have a very vivid imagination.  Christ, at that point, took me to His cross to see the price He paid my sin so that I could see that I could no longer refuse forgiveness to others for sins against me.  My pride had to die - be placed on the cross to bleed out slowly.  Only, my pride did not want to die.  I discovered that it would get down off the cross every morning and in the midst of any circumstance someone or something did not go my way.  That pesky pride needed to be continuously re-nailed to that cross. 

 

As I started meeting with an organic expression of the Lord in Dallas in February of 2012, Christ began to reveal more and more of Himself to me through His body.   Connected now to hundreds of like-minded followers of Christ across the country, and even the world, I see more and more of Him all the time.  He has also started revealing more things in me that need to join my pride on the cross.

 

One of the first things He showed me was my agenda.  I wanted to see an organic expression started in my city.  I knew (in my own mind) that I would never be able to get a worker to come to the small town of Terrell, TX, so I joined with this larger group of people in Dallas where I was certain we could get a worker to come - and we did.  Then, the living arrangements we had for them cratered and they ended up coming to stay with us for 4 months - in Terrell, TX!  During the course of growing together with the assembly (ekklesia) in Dallas, God took from me that which I wanted (a church in Terrell) and replaced it with an uncontrollable desire to be with the saints in Dallas - that which He wanted.  Something great came from my agenda dying on the cross.  By the way, that one just died - has not revived itself to jump down from the cross and push itself on others. 

 

That's just one example.  There have been may other things that have made their way down the Via Dolorosa to find their ultimate demise on that old rugged cross and still many other things, I am sure, that will have to make their way there, as well.

 

I look back to Gethsemane at the prayer that Christ prayed in the garden - "And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matt 26:39 NASB)  It seems that Jesus had a different will than that of His Father in this instance.  Faced with the prospect of dying the most horrific physical death imaginable, Jesus said, "That's not what I really want to do".  But, then He did something to set an example and standard for His body- He relinquished His will to do the will of His Father.  His will (Christ) at that time was to live and not do the whole cross thing.  But He took His will and willingly laid it down on that cross and allowed a Roman soldier to drive nails through it to hold it to the cross.  He did not have the strength or ability to nail Himself to the cross - He allowed others to gladly do it for Him.

 

I find this to be the case all to often in Christian circles today - there are so many who will gladly take up a hammer and spike to crucify others to make their point or to advance their agenda.  The Romans were trying to squelch an apparent Jewish uprising.  Today, anytime someone in the church doesn't get their way they feel the need to make someone pay and the cross, after all, has always been an effective method of making someone pay.  Many times, I have found that God will use people, such as this, to aide me in getting certain things "nailed to my cross" as He sees fit.  On the same hand, I do not see this as justification for myself, or anyone else to heartlessly drag a brother or sister to be crucified on a cross not of their choosing because we think they need to die to something we don't agree with.

 

The cross.  For Christ is was a choice that He made because He saw past the cross to His bride - the church, the Ekklesia.  For me it is a choice that I must make because I can now look past the cross also to see - to be part of - His bride.

 

The cross.  Not just for criminals and our Savior.  For all those who desire to be one with Him, sharing in His death so that we may share in His life everlasting!

"Are You in a Cult?"

Since we (my wife and I) walked away from organized religion in 2010 and began a quest to find “organic” church, many of our friends and family members have expressed concern that we have fallen prey to a cult.  I wanted to address this concern and offer a more thorough explanation of where we are in our “walk with God”. 

Let’s start by looking at the definition of a cult.  According to the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary online, a cult is: 

1.  a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous

2.  a situation in which people admire and care about something or someone very much or too much

3.  a small group of very devoted supporters or fans



1.  Yes, we are a part of a small, but growing group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion or denomination that has beliefs regarded by many as extreme or possibly dangerous (not dangerous to myself or other members but rather to the status quo of accepted religious practice today).  We are not bound by the traditional definition of religion any more than Christ was bound by the Jewish religion.   We meet together in homes all across the DFW metroplex for a weekly meeting on Sunday, much like a denominational church, with the exception we do not have a “pastor” or any paid staff who impart their interpretation of God’s will of otherwise marching orders to the masses.   We believe that each and every follower of Christ has a portion of Him that indwells them and when we all come together, we each share that portion within us with those who are sharing their portion likewise with us.  Is this practice ‘dangerous’?  It can be if there is one or more individuals who desire to promote their agenda over that of Christ through the body.  Fortunately, we have had the benefit of an apostolic worker who came and spent  6 months with us teaching us and laying a proper foundation to ensure this does not happen.  

 When we come together in this meeting, we sing, we share testimonies, poems, events in our lives during the recent past where God has revealed Himself to us or spoken in some way to guide us.  We share scripture and sometimes take off on a discussion where all are free to share how they see Christ there.  We also have assignments, agreed upon in advance that encourage each of us to dig deeper, often with other brothers and sisters during the week to see more and more of Christ in the world around us and in each other.  We also eat, or as the word says, “break bread” together.  Body life is shared across the table from one another as we share our food with each other.   But there is more. 

We also are striving to spend quality time with each other outside of this Sunday meeting, during the week,  We have bi-weekly Brother’s Meetings and Sister’s Meetings during the week to get to know each other better and to seek the Lord in the ongoing life of the body.  We have meals with other, we go to movies with each other, we go bowling with each other and are constantly looking for new ways to experience the numerous “one anothers” found in scripture.  We are becoming more and more like family as we spend more and more time with each other.  We know and understand that none of us is perfect in this life and choose not to judge the heart and motives of anothers actions.  In all these things we seek to lift up Him who has brought us together.

2.  We have found ourselves in a situation in which the people we have begun to share this community life with admire and care about this Christ who is our ALL very much, but not as much as what we will -which will never be too much.  We all have questions – everyone in the world does.  We have come to understand that “Christ” is the answer to each and every question.  “Why am I here?”  Christ!  To be part of His expression and to honor Him.”   “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  Christ!  When a lost world excludes Christ and removes Him from the daily equation, bad things will happen not just to us but to those around us.  Many times Christ merely needs to point out, even to those that follow Him, that He is all we need and then allows us to be brought to a place where He is all we have.  Part of every equation is the answer.  Christ is the answer -  the only answer, so if we leave Him out all we have are questions. 

3.  I don't think we are a group of devoted supporters or fans of Christ.  Football teams have devoted supporters and fans.  Athletes have devoted supporters and fans.  Movie stars have devoted supporters and fans.  A Bridegroom has a bride and that is who the church is – who we are.  We seek to know this one true love and express our love back to Him.  We seek to die to self more and more so that His love might manifest itself through us to those around us – both in our group and in the world around us.  Knowing Who He is and who we are in Him is foundational to our revelation of Christ in everyday life.  While we are VERY devoted, we are His bride, not mere fans.

So, by pure definition we are NOT involved in a cult.  We are NOT a “religious” group.  We do NOT “care about” Christ too much, on the contrary – this side of eternity we will never be able to go overboard in demonstrating our love for Him.  We are NOT mere supporters or fans of our Lord – we are His bride. 

We are involved with a body of Christ-followers who wanted more Christ than what modern religion or denomination could offer and boldly stepped out of the religious box to find Him - and we have.   We have come a long way in our walk in the past three and a half years and we still have a long way to go.  But this “expression of Christ” that we now pursue is ‘organic’ – a living, breathing, growing organism that is full of life – His life.  Church, for us, is not a building, a place to go, a set of rules (“thou shalt” and “thou shalt not’s”) to follow to achieve God’s favor.  When my daughter-in-law married my son, she automatically had my favor.  I love her as my own daughter.  When my son gains his inheritance from me, she will share in that 100%.  When we become part of the church, His bride we automatically have the Father’s favor and will share in the Son’s inheritance 100%.  We will live with Him in eternity in His Father’s house – OUR Father’s house, not some shack  (in comparison) on a hillside.

For anyone wanting more information on what I am writing about here, please feel free to contact me and I can recommend multiple resources to help you find your way out of the box.  I don’t want to mislead anyone, so I do offer this disclaimer:

It is comfortable in the “box” of religion.  You show up, put in your time, put some green in the plate and then coast on to next week when you do the same.  Community life with other followers of Christ requires sacrificing self on a daily basis and can often be uncomfortable because you are not used to sharing life with these casual acquaintances you see in the pews once or twice a week.   If you want more of Christ, then all the sacrifice in the world seems like a bargain.  If you are just unhappy where you are and are looking for something new or different, then this is probably not for you.    For those of us that have tasted and seen the pure worth of this pursuit, there is no other option, no plan B, nothing else that will satisfy the hunger in our spirit.  For us, this is it!

If you want more Christ, there is more to be had.  But there is a cost.  Yes, salvation is free.  But in order to be filled with Christ one be emptied of self.  The more full of self you are the less room there is for Christ in your life.   The more self dies and withers away, the more room there is for Christ to come in and fill you. 

Book Review: "God's Favorite Place on Earth" by Frank Viola



Few books that I have read have had the impact that "God's Favorite Place On Earth" has had on the way I see Christ. For the majority of my Christian life Christ has been a distant Lord, watching and judging me as I stumble along in this journey. Frank Viola clearly illustrates a totally different - and accurate - picture of the Christ who dwells in us.

Bethany, while a historic community that was the home of Simon the Leper and the well known Mary, Martha and Lazarus, was also a place of rest and refuge for our Lord while He dwelt among us in His physical form. It was, in fact, from Bethany where the feet of Jesus last touched the dust of this world. In this book, Frank does an excellent job of communicating that Bethany is so much more than just a historical place and that the Lord still seeks Bethany today. In his unique (at least to my reading experience) approach to communicating the story, Frank uses a combination of actual scripture, dramatic interpretation and spiritual application to bring the reader to a place of being able to recognize Bethany as a place that still exists today. Yes, the book tells the story, but there's so much more here to be discovered.

Several points which stood out to me I would like to highlight, if I may. 

• "While brokenness is difficult, it’s beautiful because it makes God look good. Your natural gifts draw attention to yourself while brokenness draws attention to your Lord. With this in mind, power is dangerous in the hands of an unbroken vessel."

Maybe we should think twice before questioning God when trials seem to overtake us.  Frank gives keen insight into the heart of Christ as He internally processed the sickness, death and call to resurrection of Lazarus.

• "We live in a day where the popular idea behind ministry training is to focus on developing one’s gifts. Gift inventories, personality surveys, and strength indicator tests are the rage among those who want to be equipped for ministry today. But these kinds of tests set your eyes on your gifts. They put the focus on your strengths and your natural abilities. They make you the center of attention. However, the Lord is far more interested in your weaknesses than in your strengths. He’s interested in breaking you. Why? Because when there is less of you in the way, there is more room for Him to work."

If you have not experienced this type of gathering, you are missing out on what I feel is the Lord's heart for His bride.  A gathering where the Lord is released from the confines of religion and free to express Himself to reveal His glory and His heart.  These gatherings are out there if you really want to experience this.

• "We live in a day where the popular idea behind ministry training is to focus on developing one’s gifts. Gift inventories, personality surveys, and strength indicator tests are the rage among those who want to be equipped for ministry today. But these kinds of tests set your eyes on your gifts. They put the focus on your strengths and your natural abilities. They make you the center of attention. However, the Lord is far more interested in your weaknesses than in your strengths. He’s interested in breaking you. Why? Because when there is less of you in the way, there is more room for Him to work."

 If you have spent any time in church, you have experienced this.  How refreshing to know that God is not interested in what WE can do, but rather what HE can do through us.

"God's Favorite Place On Earth" is well written, well documented and a well of insight into the heart of our Lord for His bride. It can easily be used for a group book study, daily devotional and would also make an excellent gift. It is a must-read for those who desire to know Christ deeper.   Many thanks to Frank for sending a copy of this powerful story to me to review.  This is one book that has definitely earned 5 Stars!

     

Coming SOON!



Shortly, I will be receiving a review copy of God’s Favorite Place on Earth by Frank Viola. The book released May 1st and stayed in the top # 50 on Amazon.com for 8 straight days. There’s a lot of buzz about this book on the Web, and I’ll be writing a review after I read it.
Here are a few interesting nuggets about the book.

* It’s been recommended by 47 Christian authors, including John Ortberg, Jack Hayford, Leonard Sweet, Tricia Goyer, Mary DeMuth, Greg Boyd, Todd Hunter, Jon Acuff, Phil Cooke, and many others.

* There is an interesting video trailer for the book that introduces it.

* The book tells the story of Jesus in the little village of Bethany and the amazing things that happened there through the eyes of Lazarus. It combines biblical narrative, dramatization, theological insights, and nonfiction devotional teaching. It argues that “Bethany” was God’s Favorite Place on Earth and explains how every Christian and every church can be “Bethanys” today for God.

* The book addresses 18 specific struggles that Christians face today and offers hope, challenge, and fresh insight.

 

You can check all of this out at God’s Favorite Place on Earth and get the book on discount.

My Take on the Origins of Athiest and Agnostics





I think that most of those who profess to be atheist or agnostic have somewhere down the line been hurt, offended or injured by someone "claiming" to be a Christian.  Instead of seeing the fault in the person they attribute the fault of the person to Christ.   "If that is what this 'Jesus' is all about then I want nothing to do with Him or His religion" - can you blame them?   So many 'church members' experience this same thing - being hurt by those who call themselves Christians - even those in leadership positions within the institution.   All over the world you have men standing in pulpits every week telling their congregations that they must live their lives in a manner that even they, themselves are unable to do - how can we 'love those who persecute us', 'bless those who curse us', do good to those who do us harm'?   In our flesh, we cannot.   It is our nature to repel or even destroy those who do such things to us, our family or even our country.   The ONLY human being ever able to do this was Christ.   No one before and no one since.   Why then is it rammed down our throats that we must be "Christ-like", when in our flesh we have proven over the past 6 thousand years that we are unable to do so?   Can we, over the course of a lifetime, be successful in imitating the creator of the universe, proving ourselves to be "good enough"?   Seems to me all we will prove is what miserable failures we are in accomplishing this task. 

I have read and re-read the entire New Testament and no where have I found any command or instruction to try and 'be like Christ'.   Can we become omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent?  Paul said told us to be "imitators of God" and to walk in love as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us" (Ephesians 5).   Jesus gave the church one commandment to replace all of the others, including the two "greatest" commandments (Love the Lord and Love your neighbor as yourself) because He knew that, in our flesh, we would not be able to comply with even just these two, much less the whole of the Law and the Prophets.   He said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." (John 13:34) 

So, how can we do this?   How did Jesus do it?   How did He love 12 obstinate, stubborn, unbelieving men who fought between themselves, thought themselves to be more worthy than their friends to receive a place of honor in the Kingdom and left Him high and dry when things got tough?   He loved them with the indwelling love of His Father that looked past their faults into eternity.   It makes perfect sense then, that the only way we can obey this one command is by the indwelling love of Christ that does the same thing - looks past their sin and baggage and see the Christ in them from eternity to eternity. 

How can we do this?   By dying to self (crucifying MY wants, desires and agendas) and allowing the Christ IN me to love them through me.   Once I understood that I did not have that kind of love in my flesh I was able to not feel guilty for not being able to love the un-loveable.   I have learned to not judge others on their failure to keep the 10 commandments, because I know now that is not my responsibility.   Only GOD is able to judge and I certainly am NOT qualified to do His job. 

All that to say this: If everyone that call themselves "Christian" were to follow this one commandment - to love others as Christ loved us - what would the world see in His church?   They certainly would not see a bunch of hypocrites living selfish, judgmental lives telling all the "lost" people they if they don't get their lives in order that they will spend eternity in hell.   They will instead see Christ loving them through His body (the church) and be drawn to Him as a bride to her bridegroom. 

Who was it that Jesus warned about the dangers of hell?   Was it the drunks, tax collectors and prostitutes?   No.  (He hung out with them!)   It was the 'religious' people of the day - the 'church members', if you will.   All those that thought they were better than everybody else because they 'followed the rules'. (Luke 18:9-14).   If you are out there trying to be 'Christ-like', know that you are spinning your wheels trying to do something God does not require or expect you to do.   All He wants is for you to get out of His way so that He can do what only He can do in and through you.

The Top 10 Things I Learned in 2012

1. If you are the most important person in your life then everyone else in your life will suffer.

2. The difference between telling someone that you love them and showing them that you love them is the difference between night and day.

3. My wife is an amazing person and I really do love her. (You might ask why I just learned this in 2012 – see # 1 & # 2).

4  Jesus was serious in Luke 9:23. It is NOT easy and the “daily” part is not optional. Dying to self is hard, but necessary. Doing it EVERY DAY is harder and even more necessary. Pride is puffed up and hard to swallow – but nailing it to the cross deflates it and makes it more manageable to choke down.

5. I am NOT qualified to judge your sin. That is God’s job and I have no business infringing into His responsibilities. The same goes for you.

6. Words are just like guns and motor vehicles. They are not inherently bad but when misused they can seriously injure others or worse. There are no bad words, just ordinary words used in a negative context to offend. Choose your words wisely and always to edify and build up – not to tear down.

7. I have two really cool kids who are engaged to two very special people who will become, in 2013, my son-in-law and daughter-in-law. I also have two very special grands that I love more than I ever thought I could. Their hugs make the darkest clouds dissipate and disappear.

8. Life is hard, is rarely fair and is filled with pitfalls. I can choose to sit back in my comfort zone and avoid most of the above problems and never reach my potential or I can choose to get out there in the middle of life, fight hard and overcome the unfairness and pitfalls and be more than I am now. What I won’t do is sit back and whine to all that will listen how miserable I am as the world caves in around me in my comfort zone.

9. A 50 year old man can FINALLY earn his bachelor’s degree while operating his own computer repair shop – and do so Magna Cum Laude. I don’t care if you have been out of school for 3 months or 30 years – if you want more get off your butt and go get it.

10. You don’t invite Christ “into your heart” to bind Him securely and force Him to be a spectator to your drama of a life. “Indwelling” should be synonymous with “in control” and if I am getting MY way in everything then that means He is not getting HIS way in anything.

I hope some of these things might help someone else have a revelation in 2013. I have found them all to be true and have changed my perspective on life accordingly.

Adoption Via Marriage

OUR MINDSET

In our Sunday morning meeting yesterday, we were discussing our place in Christ.  Scripture tells us we are "joint heirs" and "adopted" - Ephesians 1:4-6 reads, "For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved."  I thought, "How does God the Father "adopt" us through His Son Jesus Christ - why not just adopt us right out?  If we are adopted children of God and joint heirs with Christ, would not God have to equally distribute His kingdom with ALL of His heirs?  Somehow this was not measuring up to the mindset I have held to for 40+ years.

CHANGE OF MIND

To wrap my head around this, I had to try and see this through God's eyes in light of His eternal purpose.  What has God always desired, from before time as we know it? 

1. To have a permanent dwelling place in this, His creation.
2. To have a physical expression of Himself within this creation and
3. To provide for His Son a bride, holy and acceptable to Him.

I understand now that God accomplishes ALL of these purposes via the Church: 

1. We are His dwelling place in this creation, living stones being built up together (1 Peter 2:4-5: "Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God - you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.").
2. We are His physical body, visible to the world around us - the Body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:27: "Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.") and
3. We, the church, are the Bride of Christ. (Revelation 19:7: "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”

Jesus said: "I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6)  According to Jesus, Himself, we cannot get to God the Father EXCEPT through Christ.  I am good with that.  So, how do I get "adopted" by God through His Son Jesus?  Only through marriage!  When Christ becomes one with His bride (the church - of which we  are only a part) then the church will become one with the Son.  Then she (we) will be the daughter of God the Father, by marriage and a joint heir with her Bridegroom who inherits all that her glorious Husband inherits from His Father.  No splitting the inheritance - but joint ownership between the two (Christ and His Bride) who have become one.  We, the church will find our favor with the Father ONLY because of our relationship with the Son of the Father.  Not because of pity that God feels "sorry" for us.  Not because of responsibility to take care of His creation.  Only because of the great love the Father has for His Son and the object of the Son's affections - His bride.

1 John 5:11-12 says it this way: "And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life."  God did not give His Son because it was the only way - He did it because it was the best way He could demonstrate His love for us.  He could have done anything He wanted, but He chose love.  The marriage relationship, adoption via marriage!

N.T. Wright Interview: “Simply Jesus” & Wright Responds to Critics

In the life of this blog, I have, up until this time, posted my heart and messages descriptive of my journey.  Today, however, I deviate from this pattern to pass on what I feel is valuable information passed on to me by a man I trust, whose heart is for the Lord and His church.  This man has been on the journey that I now walk and has provided me with many, many invaluable insights and tools to help guide me on this journey.  To say that the things that God has revealed to me because of this man's journey to the cross and beyond would be an understatement.

Frank Viola is an author and speaker.  I had the privilege of meeting him briefly at Threshold 2011 in Orlando, FL last year.  More importantly, I have had the privilege to learn from his 23+ years of seeking and experiencing an organic expression of the church.  Because he would take no credit for the ministry he lives, I will give thanks to the Lord for Frank's willingness to get out of God's way so that He might reveal to those of us seeking those things that HE wants us to find.  (Yet another thing I have learned from this man.)  

Recently, Frank passed on in his blog some information which he thought worth passing on to his readers.  Because I respect Frank (not idolize), I place significant value on what he deems important as well.  I do read everything he writes through the filter of scripture and have found his writings to be "spot-on" and most often timely delivered.  Today, I want to pass this information on to those that read this and encourage you to subscribe to Frank's blog, as well.  (He writes ALLOT more than I do and much more frequently.)  My hope is that God would begin to open the eyes of a remnant of His church to return to Him and begin to rebuild His temple by His standards - a building not made by human hands but rather constructed of "living stones". 

To read this blog, go to http://frankviola.org/2012/01/23/ntwright/.  You may also subscribe to his blog here.  You will find it insightful and informative, but more than this it will cause you to seek the Lord.  Blessings to you and yours -

Mark <><

The Heart of Christmas II - Reclaiming Christmas

Once again we find ourselves on the brink of yet another Christmas holiday, hijacked by commercialism and selfishness. Beside all of the "you need" commercials and the "I want" gift lists we are also bombarded by the encouragement to give to those less fortunate so that they, too, might "have Christmas". How did this occasion get turned from a celebration of the birth of Christ, Immanuel - God with us - into a mad, hectic, depressing season of all things not Christ?

Is it at all possible to reclaim Christmas for Christ, or should we release the church's claim on the holiday, relinquishing control over to the department stores and charities to continue the "traditions" on down the path they have been going for the past century? Then, the church can begin to celebrate a new "holy day" which is purely a remembrance of the day God visited earth in the form of a baby in a manger in a little town called Bethlehem. We can remember, on this day, when the angels sang in a mighty chorus, "Glory to God in the Highest - Peace on earth & goodwill towards men". Rather than giving gifts to others and desiring more gifts for ourselves we could acknowledge the incomparable gift that God gave to each of us in His Son. Perhaps we could all come together with one mind and one heart - the heart of God Himself, and celebrate His worth and His magnificance - and share THIS with those who have not heard this good news.

And perhaps this could be a celebration that lasts more than one day - December 25th. This should be a Holy-Day that lasts from January 1 to, say December 31. I realize this is hardly enough time to properly honor Him who gave us His ALL, but we need to start somewhere. I also realize this would overlap other holiday celebrations, but we can think of it as a marinade that would flavor all the things we do during the celebration season.

And we should call this Holy-Day "Christ-Is", because Christ is the reason for this season I describe to you now. Another idea for a name for this Holy-Day is "Today".

So, join with me in pursuing this new Holy-Day, founded this day in 2011. The only gifts you need to give are to the One whom we celebrate - and all He wants is your all to be added to His All so that He might have a bride and His Father might have a house built from living stones here on this earth. THIS is the heart of what Christmas was intended to be before it became all about us.


THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS

Watching all the lights,
Something’s just not right
Where’s the Christmas cheer?
I long just to feel
Some thing that is real
At this time of year.

Oh, Lord please open my eyes
In a Season for You
To show me Your heart’s desire
Lord, take my wants and my needs
As I give them to You
And put Your love in my heart.

I’m coming back to the heart of Christmas
And it’s all about You,
It’s all about You, Jesus.
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus.

Jesus, Lord of all
Born on Christmas day
You became like me.
To show me the Way
Your life was a gift
From God up above.

Oh, Lord please open my eyes
In a Season for You
To show me Your heart’s desire
Lord, take my wants and my needs
As I give them to You
And put Your love in my heart.

I’m coming back to the heart of Christmas
And it’s all about You,
It’s all about You, Jesus.
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus.


Lyrics by Mark & Janine Burnett (2002)
(Based upon lyrics and music by Matt Redman)

Finding Jesus in a Watermelon

After reading the title, I can imagine the thoughts coursing through your minds... the image of Jesus on a burned tortilla, an old piece of tree bark, a corn chip that people flock to expecting to receive some kind of miracle. Well, before we chase that rabbit any further down that road, let me say - "That's NOT what I'm referring to."

Last Sunday while meeting with my church family God started unfolding this illustration in my head so I thought it best to write it down (you can be the judge of whether it was best!). Trying to find a graphic representation of the body of Christ in nature, God lead me to the watermelon. There are other fruits or vegetables that would work, but the thought of a "Living Water" melon fancies me, so...



Where to start? OK, let us look at the melon as a whole. Inside the melon there is the meat (red, yellow or orange) and the seeds. Surrounding the good part is a protective covering, or the rind, that keeps the good part good until it is cut open for consuming - keeps the dirt and the parasites out to preserve the purity of the fruit. Looking at the seeds, we find some mature and some still developing, but attached to all of them is something that looks like an umbilical cord that "daisy-chains" them together and feeds nutrients into the seeds, placing the DNA of the watermelon into each of them, so that when removed from the fruit and placed in the ground they can die and then burst open and a new watermelon plant springs forth to create more watermelons just like the original from the DNA blueprint inside of it. Each new melon that grows on that vine looks and tastes just like the fruit it came from and within the protective covering of each a new miracle occurs - more seeds are being formed that contain the same DNA as the melon they are in that it received from the melon it's seed came from and so on and so on. That part is basic botany.

So, where is Jesus and the church in this? Follow along with me on this. I think we see Jesus in the meat - the good part. He is the "living water" that satisfies our thirst, He is the sweetest part about any Christian’s existence. He is colorful or beautiful as He surrounds the seeds in which He is imparting His DNA through His Spirit that connects each seed to each other in Him. Now, the seeds are the Christians - the real ones. A Christian is one who is "connected", or rooted in Christ, receiving their life sustenance from Him and Him alone. The DNA of God Himself, that He placed within Mary at the immaculate conception to form the person of Jesus of Nazareth, that was passed on to Jesus in the flesh is fed into each Christian via the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which will in eternity be matured to make us like Him. We are then "daisy-chained" to other believers via the Spirit to form the church. We, the seeds or Christians are "in Christ" and are covered and protected by God the Father, the all encompassing "rind" that holds us all together and keeps the dirt and parasites out so that we might develop into a healthy, mature fruit that will one day reproduce divine offspring.

 
I know.  Kind of a fruity analogy, but it fits and if it should help someone get a grasp on exactly what the church is, how the Spirit connects all Christians who are, in fact, "in Christ" and how, the church in Christ is a refreshing, sweet, good thing then maybe you might allow me this illustration for now.
 
 
(If you don't know what a watermelon is or looks like, try google.com.)

Organic VS Organic Start

Having just experienced Threshold 2011 here in Orlando, I have come to the realization that what we have been doing in our local body is not really Organic Church - yet.  Having been meeting together for the past 9 months now, what we have been doing is building community within the body - relationships, trust, fellowship and all that entails - including some ministry.  We are a long ways from achieving what we need to become still, however.

When God first called me on this journey, I had little idea what all He was actually calling me to - after this weekend that has all changed.  Having spent time with existing, rooted bodies I see what we have missed - God's Eternal Purpose.  Last night (Saturday) Alan Levine spoke on Saul's Damascus road  experience with Jesus.  As many times as I have read this, been taught this and even taught this to others, never before has God allowed me to see myself as Saul.  Allow me to explain.

I, like Saul, grew up in a "religious" family.  We went to church ALL the time, we all had our own bibles, were well versed in how to use those bibles (We beat the high school kids in bible drill when we were in junior high).  I knew the bible stories forward and backwards, have served as a youth minister, music minister, worship leader, deacon, elder, am a licensed minister, sang in the choir, served on numerous committees, been on mission trips to three separate continents outside the US - in short I was a "religious leader" with a set of references that would impress any of my grade school Sunday school teachers.  At about this time last year, God made it clear to me that I was supposed to step out of the religious culture I had been a part of for the past 44 years and step into this great unknown which is not simple to explain.  My religious peers at that time, I am certain thought I had stepped off of the deep end and some even tried to talk me out of it (obviously unsuccessfully).  For the past year we have meet, in our home, having bible studies, having "meetings" where we were supposed to be talking about God, although sometimes never quite got around to Him.  Many in our group still look to me as their leader, in spite of how often I tell them I am not.  With this background and these present circumstances, it is hard keeping your feet on the ground. 

I had taken up the banner for the demise of the institutional church, wanting to see all the captives set free and had begun a campaign (in our small group) to discredit the institution.  I came to Threshold 2011 even with some thought in the back of my mind, that I might "learn" how to more effectively liberate those trapped in the institution.

But, that's not what happened...

On Saturday nite, this small, unassuming man of Jewish decent gets up to speak.  He begins to share the story of Saul of Tarsus in a first person narrative.  He listed his own pedigree, much as I have done in the previous paragraphs, and then described his own rage as a young man named Stephen stood up to the religious leaders of the day opposing their teachings and naming the Nazarene named Jesus as the Messiah.  He told of his rage as he had Stephen hauled outside the city walls and had him stoned to death and then how he sought out permission to do the same in Damascus.  On his way there he told of how this "second sun" appeared in the sky and literally knocked him off of his horse.  He then told how Jesus appeared to him and called him be His witness and apostle and burned his pedigree with the same blinding flash that took his eyesight temporarily.

All of a sudden - BAM!  I found myself thrown from my high horse and knocked to the ground by the Son.  All I thought that I knew, even those things I have learned in the past two years became shadows in this blinding light before me.  Jesus spoke to me (not audibly, but rather through His Spirit) and told me that He has not called me for the destruction of earthly institutions, but rather for the building up of a spiritual house/body/bride.  I am Saul.  God HAS called me to His work.  Not to be a leader, but a servant and possibly a guide.  Yet, how can I guide others to where I have not been myself?  I can't. 

I have and am requesting prayers from my brothers and peers whom I have aligned myself with this weekend - some who have been on this journey for years and others who are, like myself, just starting out.  We all must step back and gain a clear vision of the call of God on our lives and see clearly God's Eternal Purpose for His church.  If we miss this, we might as well quit now, because in reality - nothing else matters.

In Paul's own words in Philippians 3: "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.  Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Having said all that, I know now what we are doing in our local body is not "organic" church, but rather an organic church start.  We are on our way to becoming organic even though we have not laid hold of it yet.  I know now that pulling ourselves out of the institutional church and meeting in a home does not make us "organic".  This distinction will be made in our hearts - not in our name.  My heart is, now more than ever, to experience organic church life as God intended it be.  Having talked with many who have and are experiencing this life just encourages me all the more.  For Janine and I, there is no other option acceptable any longer.

May God knock all who read this off of their horse in such a way that YOU will pursue God to discover how you fit into His Eternal Purpose!

Book Review: "Revise Us Again" by Frank Viola

Yet again, Frank has nailed down multiple truths that God, in His infinite wisdom, has been revealing – apparently not just to me. “Revise Us Again” presents ten areas of our spiritual walk that ALL of us need to examine (2 Corinthians 13:5). As I read through this book, I found myself time and time again saying, “AMEN AND AMEN”. Frank does not take up sides with any denomination or doctrine, but rather holds these to the standard of scripture to reveal how far off we have drifted from God’s original design. In this book Frank asks the hard questions many today are asking and gives sound, scriptural direction to help find the true answers. Frank questions some modern day accepted “Christian” practices and thought processes and shows us through contextual scripture how we have totally missed what God’s original intent was. For example, in Chapter 5, “What’s Wrong With Our Gospel?”, Frank sums up perfectly, I think, where the modern church left the road when he says, “…the goal of the gospel is not to get you out of hell and into heaven, but to get God out of heaven and into you so that He may be displayed visibly and glorified in His creation.”


If you find yourself questioning why today’s Christian life does not resemble the Christian life you read about in scripture, “Revise Us Again” will make a perfect starting point to begin a journey of revelation God is bringing a remnant to. This book is as insightful as “Reimagining Church” and “From Eternity to Here”. If you are not afraid to let God out of the box of religion then you will read this book!

Life is a Stage...

My first go round on college I was a Theater Major. I loved the stage - being on it, behind it and directing, as well. There was something about using the talents I had to impress other people that gave me a sense of accomplishment. I loved the "great job!" and the "you were good in that" compliments because they were things I did not receive growing up. Acting was something I was good at and I knew it.


After college (round 1) was over, life and responsibility began with the arrival of our daughter, Eleighsha. Since the theater was no longer accessable to me, I chose a new "stage" to perform upon. My new stage was now what I recognized at the time as "church". Part of theater is music and I love music. So I played the part of a "music minister" or a "worship leader" (whatever the appropriate term was depending on where I was at). I could sing and get those "great job" and "I was blessed by that" compliments and even convinced myself I was involved in 'ministry' by performing every week. Sadly, by the world's standards - I was.

In August of 1988 God brought me to that place where I realized that this was not my stage, but rather God's. He wrote the script, built the set and chose each player for their respective parts. Now, he had chosen me. In submission to His calling, I surrendered my pen and scripting notebook and mad a concious decision to play the part He had assigned me. As anyone who had directed any amount of theater can tell you, it is difficult to "follow cues" from another director (because you KNOW better than they do, of course!) and more often that I would care to confess, God has had to pull me off-stage to remind me that this whole thing is HIS story and He knows best how it should be played out.

So, for 23 years now I have been in a learning role, kind of like an under-study. God has been revealing to me things I never saw in my prior 21 years of stage presence. One of these things that has convicted me of late is our approach to ministry. For years I have struggled to achieve what I thought God wanted me to do as far as reaching out to those in need and extending a helping hand of some sort. However, it never looked quite like I expected it would look. I wanted people to see my good works and glorify my Father in heaven, as scripture says. But , they never seemed to respond that way. More often than not, it was me or the group I was with who got the kuddos. 23 years ago this would have been great - but not today.

In the last couple of weeks, God has begun to reveal to me that He doesn't want or expect me to "perform good works", but rather to make myself available for Him to work through me and then just "get out of His way" so that He might do those things that will draw all men to Himself. Any and every thing that I do in my flesh will perish with this age, but those things that God does through me (and you) will last for eternity. Actions are outward efforts on our part to dupilcate what God wants to do from the inside. But, actions are just an act. Ministry happens when God, working through His children, reaches out and does what needs to be done in order to bring honor to His name THROUGH the available vessels that we have crucified to self. So, in reality, ministry is not something we do, but rather something that God does through us.

Time To Be Revolutionary

 Earlier, I posted on Facebook a link to an article written by a brother who, I believe has nailed the source of apathy in the western church.   (that article can be read here: A Stunning Body- (A Vision of Jesus Christ part II) « illuminate wp.me)  There are two parts to this blog, so make certain you read both parts.   A brother that I had attended the IC with responded back after reading the article:It's not revolutionary if you already are living it - unfortunately most people are not. The whole concept of we, the church, being the physical body of Jesus here and now in this world with the priviledge and responsibility of representin...g Him in this present age has been all but omitted from modern religious teaching. This same religious system has created a generation of spiritual spectators rather than participants who come to weekly services prepared to do nothing more than receive what is put out for them. They bring nothing to encourage or lift up others, nor are they even expected to.

"I would have to agree with another brother who said there is nothing revolutionary about what is said in this article except the part about the institutional church which I disagree with in part. Having read alot of Madame Guyon, Watchman Née, St. John of the Cross early in my fellowship with Christ is what has helped me tremendously."

When a person is born again, they are endowed with spiritual gifts specific to that person. These gifts are not to be suppressed, but rather used to lift up and edify others in corporate meetings of the body (Hebrews 10:24-25). We were not designed to be spare parts in the body of Christ, but each one intricately interwoven into this body to be active and growing, contributing to the overall health of the community. You cannot do that in the position of a spectator - nor will you be inclined to be.

My brother responded to this with:

"I would disagree with the part where you talk about spectators. I would agree there are an abundance of those that do just "sit" there and are content with that, but there are those that don't. Who of which are involved in others lives and so fulfilling there calling as a member of the body and all this while attending an 'iC'."

Of course there are those who will participate - to whatever extent the order of service will allow - did not mean to insinuate otherwise. But that order of service and the hierarchy that controls that limits the interaction significantly.... And if Joe Flatt, who can't carry a tune in a bucket, felt led by the Spirit to stand up in the middle of the service and offer up a song of thanksgiving to God and acted on that leading, he would be - more often than not - led out of the meeting until he could control himself and stay within the program.
I have poured over the New Testament for the past 18 months looking for any validation to the modern, western religious version of the church. It is not in there. No pastors, no worship leaders, no youth ministers, no hierarchy - at all. ... Just brothers and sisters coming together as community, meeting the needs of those in their families and communities, supporting mission efforts and living lives that honor God. It worked great for over three hundred years until the Roman government got involved and organized religion. Can God use organized, institutionalized religion? Yes. God used the pharisees and sadducees to accomplish His plan two thousand years ago. Just because a system has been in place for 1700 years does not mean it is right. That does not mean that everyone trapped in this system is evil or wrong - it's just all they know until someone comes along and has the nerve to "tell the emporer he is walking around naked in public". Going against 1700 years of tradition is not a popular thing to do - but if you do your research - look hard into God's word and study the historical facts - you'll find it is the right thing to do. Jesus did it. Peter did it. Paul did it. I'd say I'm in pretty good company. And, I'm not alone.
Yes, there are sincere, devoted followers of Christ amidst the throngs of people who are merely believers in God, but have yet to fall in love with Him.  Some of these followers are doing all they know how to, within the confines of the institutional church to serve Him.  Others are trapped within the system, blindly following leadership who stand to lose everything if the church returns to meeting as they did in the first three hundred years of existence.  These leaders, may have the best intentions at heart and even believe they are serving God by supressing the involvement of the flock.  I'm sure the pharisees felt the same way.  It's time to stop and listen to what God has to say in HIS word and follow th e Spirit, rather than a man or denomination.  It's time to re-introduce Jesus to the world as the Bridegroom who is coming for His pure bride - holy and just and intolerant of sin.  It's time to be that which God designed us to be from before the foundation of time and start to fulfill His eternal purpose.

II Timothy 3:1-5 speaks of a time, which I believe we now live in, when men will have fallen away from the Truth and hold to a "form" of godliness where the true power of God is denied.  Could this be any more accurate?  The church today has become a spiritual paraplegic  because nerve impulses from the head (Christ) have been severed from the body.  The hand will not receive profitable information from the foot that will allow the body to lead a fruitful life.  Only when the body gets in sync with the head once again will it be able to function the way it was designed to.  The western church is failing in accomplishing God's eternal purpose set forth from the foundation of time. 

Many of the characteristics set forth in II Timothy 3 describing the world today have crept into the church, causing great damage to the body – like a cancer destroys the physical body.  Several years ago, I watched my father die from a cancer which reduced him from a very healthy 6’7”, 250 lb. man to a withered 90 lb. lifeless frame.  This spiritual cancer within the church has withered away the body and the church is ailing today, not far from death.  We need to ask God to heal the body spiritually, just as we have witnessed Him heal physically.  My God can heal, He can restore, He can cleanse, He can make right the things that are wrong.  II Chronicles 7:14 says: “…and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from  heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”  As I pray, YOU pray as well.  Pray that God will change our hearts and restore the church.

Foundational Thoughts

I just read a review of a book entitled "A Heretic's Guide to Eternity". Normally, I won't comment on a book without reading it first, so my comments here are actually on the review itself - which may or may not reflect what the original author intended.

The reviewer quotes the author as writing:

"His [Jesus] message eradicated the need for religion. It may come as a surprise, but Jesus has never been in the religion business." I could not agree more. "Nowhere does Jesus call His followers to start a religion. Jesus' invitation to His first disciples was to follow Him." Again - I agree wholeheartedly.

What I saw that disturbed me was:
"A core of this is the rejection of the belief in the inherent sinfulness of humankind, calling for the suffering and death on the cross of God's Son, Jesus."  If it was unnecessary for Jesus to suffer and die the death He did on the cross, then God is a sadist - and He is not.  This 'new age' thinking that no one needs saving, that God would not send anyone to hell, goes totally against scripture.  Scripture is clear that God is holy and will punish the unrepentant, Satan and his fallen angels in a very real place called hell.  Yes, God loves everyone, and again, as scripture states, He desires ALL to come to repentance and that Christ died for ALL.  But our sinfulness demands a blood payment and Jesus became that payment on the cross.  One only need look into the mirror to see that we are ALL inherently sinful and self-centered.  To argue this point is - well - proving the point it argues.

"Instead, the authors believe humankind is loved by God from conception and never needs saving from the wrath that would send them to hell. Instead, the real journey of the spiritual traveler is to continually move toward the understanding and experience of that surrounding and saturating Grace that has always been present, though we are often unaware of its existence."  YES, humankind is loved by God from BEFORE conception, but our need for saving (or salvation) is by far greater than our need for oxygen.  God's wrath, I believe, does not send the unrepentant to hell, but rather allows them to go there - by their own choice in life - to remain unrepentant.

I don't know that I will ever read this book in it's entirety.  I have seen groups rising up, even locally, that promote this way of thinking that goes against all scripture - that by which I must weigh everything.  But, do not take my word for it - take God's.  Get into His word and see the truth for yourself.  This truth is foundational to my faith and this thing I will defend with all that I am.

Moses, Egypt, Me & the IC

In looking back through the Old testament, I pause at the story of Moses leading the children of Israel out of bondage to the Promised Land and cannot help but draw parallels to my life in modern day.

Not to suggest that I, in any way, am even on the same level as Moses....

Moses was born a Hebrew. He was, however, raised as an Egyptian. Even thought his birth mother was his personal nurse in the house of Pharaoh, he no doubt was aware of his Hebrew heritage while growing up. But rather than be subjected to the hard life of a slave, he had the priviledge, because of his relationship with and the favor of Pharaoh's daughter, of being raised as the grandson of Pharaoh in the royal palace with all the trappings that came with that. Growing up, the future Pharaoh was his brother. He enjoyed all Egypt had to offer - while his own people (the Hebrews) and his own family - brother and sister - were forced to labor to support his lifestyle.

At some point, when waching an egyptian slave master whip a Hebrew man, Moses, stirred by guilt, perhaps, came to the Hebrew's defense, striking the Egyptian and killing him - probably accidentally. Later, when trying to stop two Hebrew men from fighting, one of them popped off, "So are you going to kill us like you did the egyptian?" Fearful that his Egyptian family would not understand his taking the life of an egyptian in defense of a Hebrew, he fled to the wilderness in a move of self-preservation.

It was during his stay in the wilderness (some 40 years later) that Moses encountered God. It was not a casual, "Hi, how ya doin'" meeting, but rather a full blown in the actual presence of the creator of the universe meeting - the kind that brings your face to the ground because you know you're not worthy to be here. At this meeting God directs Moses to lead His children, the Hebrews, out of bondage and into the Promised Land that God had promised Abraham 500 or so years before. Although he felt totally inadequate for the job, Moses finally accepted the calling and set out for Egypt to deliver the good news to the Hebrews - "God has heard your cries and is now ready to deliver you out of bondage into a glorious freedom so that you might worship Him!" somehow, I don't think Moses was quite ready for the reception he was about to receive - from the Hebrews.

Most everyone knows how the story plays out, so I won't go into great detail here. What I want for us to see is the heart of Moses. Moses was a messenger. Moses had developed "allegiances" to all of the parties involved. He was called by God to deliver His message and deal out His judgement on the egyptians. He was the Hebrew's "lost son" who was returning home to be God's instrument to set His people free. He was also the "lost son" of Egypt - retuning to tell them that His God was about to wreak untold havoc on their political, social and economic system as judgement against them - these egyptians who raised him as their own. No doubt he had many friends and step-family members he still cared about in Egypt.

The truth I want us to see is this: Moses did not return to Egypt specifically to destroy the Egyptian culture (political, social and economic systems). Although that was surely a result of the judgement God poored out, that was not Moses' calling. His calling was to lead the children of Israel out of bondage into freedom. What was the message God had Moses give Pharaoh? "Let My people go that they might go into the wilderness and worship Me." Wow.

I feel this as my calling.

God placed a calling on me to come out of the bondage I was under in the institutional church. He brought me into the freedom that was originally intended to be experienced by His children in corporate worship and body life. No longer a spectator nor the leader, but rather an equal with all God's people in the priesthood. Having experienced this freedom and knowing that bondage to anything is bad, God has also called me to reach out to others in bondage and let them know there is more to body life that attending meetings and giving money. So much more. My calling is NOT to destroy the institutional church system. My calling is to help people see it for what it is - bondage. My heart is for my fellow followers of Christ, to see them set free. There are so many followers of Jesus out there who know there must be more to body life than what the IC (institutional church) offers that are praying for God to come and deliver them (I know this to be true for I was one of those followers).

There are brothers and sisters out there who's calling is to aggressively expose the IC for the imposter it is, masquerading as the bride of Christ. My calling is rather to show followers and non-followers alike what the body is supposed to look like (according to scripture) so that they will recognize the counterfeit when they see it. Not to say that the aggressive manner is wrong - that is just not the manner in which God has called me to answer His call.