I had a conversation with a few friends the other day. Our conversation led to spiritually type talk, and we were all sharing our ideas, insight, and revelations. I was trying to explain my idea of what a Christian should look like — of what an all out Christian should be. I failed to verbally express what I thought. That concerned me. I had to take some time to think about it so that I could accurately describe what I was thinking. I don’t intend…Continue Reading “Part Two – |Absolute| Meaningless”
This note might appear extremely vague. I started this only intending to write 2 shorts lines. I ended with a few pages, and cut it down to what I thought was most important. The original first line read, “This note probably has no significant meaning.” The opposite couldn’t be more true. In religious-philosophical schools, skepticism is often referred to as the doctrine that true knowledge or certainty in a particular area is impossible. In laymen terms, it is the doctrine that absolutes absolutely do not…Continue Reading “|Absolute| Meaningless”
Sitting here on this Christmas Eve, listening to the wind howl out my window, watching the snow blowing sideways, I marvel at the power of God. Often, I find myself wanting to change the world, “Help me do this God, I can do that here, we can change this over there.” I want the whole world to know God as I do. I want the unsaved to see past the American church. I want the “saved” to have eyes to see their ignorance, and coming…Continue Reading “A Christmas Eve Reflection”
I can’t imagine community without visualizing the all-out love of Jesus. Describing this love, Paul writes to the Ephesians in 3:17-19, “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” I can’t even begin to describe this verse in…Continue Reading “Community as Love”
Something on my mind lately. It’s not a new concept; hardly even novel to me. Just, I’m now realizing the significance of focusing on this. I think one of the hardest things to do is be honest with your own self. We often overlook our mistakes, covering them with excuses. But, if we’re going to be completely honest with ourselves as a culture — what is our biggest focus on during the Christmas season? What are we most intentional about? What do we look forward…Continue Reading “Significance”
I was reviewing some of my old journals today. One stood out to me from about 2 years ago. Funny how it doesn’t seem like it should already have been that long. In this journal, I was experiencing a certain spiritual dryness and separation from God, which turned out to be a great transformation process for me. Specifically, I felt as if I was going through a civil war of self: mind versus heart. I couldn’t explain my feelings. I didn’t know what was going…Continue Reading “Civil War”
This is a pretty simple message. Everyone knows it, I know we’ve all heard it more than a few dozen times. But I think its really important we keep mindful of it. John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Like I said, we all know this one. But humor me, and read this with an understanding of its relevance and prevalence to us today. The…Continue Reading “This is Simple”
Wait. Where did they go? The people you knew. Surrounded, you find yourself alone. Crowds roar a deafening joy. You slump. Music fills the air. Memories are leeched on your thoughts. Emotions come and go, racing through your bewildered heart. Confusion. Fear. Regret. Depression. Aggression. Innocence. Guilt. It is then you realize it. It was you who fell. It was you who got lost. It was you who abandoned everyone else. You want it back. Your life. You scream. No one answers. You cry. No…Continue Reading “Wait.”
Ephesians 4:19 NIV Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. Message Version And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They’ve refused for so long to deal with God that they’ve lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can’t think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves…Continue Reading “Pain”
Christians have been labeled many things. One name that bothers me the most, that I believe hinders us with the level of relationship God wants to have with us, is the phrase, “good people.” Yes, good people. We are, after all, good people. We try, more or less, to make righteous, moral, and guided decisions in day to day life (at least I hope we try). When we fall, we get up. When we’re slapped, we turn the other cheek. When we’re oppressed, we overcome….Continue Reading “Compare Me Not”