Forward not Back

Been thinking, it's easy to look at church for what it isn't but what about what Jesus actually intended it to be? What was his intention? What did he have in mind when he spoke of it? Why did he initiate the formation of the 12 Disciples/Apostles as the framework? What was his intention for leadership within the Church? What would these people look like? How would they relate to the world around them? What was to be their consuming passion? Did the early Church embody his vision? Hmmmm??

I was watching TV the other day and i thought, what a fantastic ploy, i sit here watching some figment of some guy in a Hollywood boardroom's imagination, for a moment in time (lately probably way too many moments in time), and forget about the real world around me.

I suddenly had this kind of picture of God's people, all of us sitting in front of these boxes, staring at flickering images, lulled and distracted away from reality. Falling asleep.

But TV's not the only vice of distraction. Church's can be great places of distraction from reality. Church politics (straining at those gnats), in-fighting, pettiness, navel gazing, activity for activities sake, empire building, power plays, irrelevant PC immersed sermons, Christian sub-culture, anything that will keep us from focusing on anything that the world desperately needs the people of God to focus on.

Consumerism of course is an oldy but a goody. Pursuit of stuff in the name of 'getting ahead' is a popular one amongst us His people. I speak in generalities of course, there are always those that are an exception to the rule, and man Lord I wish I was one of those.

God wake me up!!!

Cartoon Mightier than the Sword

The western world government leaders must be furrowing their brows anxiously, as the full extent of their internal security problems become all too clear with the 'Cartoon Protests.'

It seems to me that Islam is flexing its muscle, and surprisingly it is showing itself stronger than maybe most expected. They have the west generally, and the US specifically by the balls, because of its dependance on Middle Eastern oil and trade.

Protests in Britain revealed large numbers of cartoon protesters holding placards declaring the need for more suicide bombings and violent death to all who blaspheme the prophet. What are the leaders of Britain for instance going to do? I doubt there is much they can do, given their hands will be tied by political correctness and liberal ideology. Father wake us up to what is actually going on here!

Love Ramblings

Just under a year ago, I was functioning as an Assistant Pastor, I was an Elder, was oversight of the worship at the church and lead worship myself with my own team. In the midst of that I felt as though something had crystallized for me. God was interested in only one thing, "How well do you love?" Not, how many people you ministered to in a week, or how many sermons you preached, worship sessions you lead that so called 'went off', or how impressed he was at all the activity or the titles... it all fell off! None of it meant squat UNLESS it was wrapped in love.

These are some of the thoughts that came out of those ponderings...

Love is the great leveller. Our level of love, compassion and mercy is the true measure of spirituality. The true measure of authentic worship.

How do we know we are truly growing spiritually? By the amount of time praying? Healing the sick? Preaching? Worshipping? Church involvement level? Authority? Prophetic ability? Souls saved?

I know that Jesus’ harshest words were for the people that had the external stuff down, but had lost compassion and mercy. Oh God my capacity to love in the roles had decreased not increased. Maybe because all of a sudden, I felt like I was doing stuff because it was my job, rather than because I truly wanted to.

Lord I want to see it your way. Fact is the way I see is skewed. If I met a guy who spoke in tongues of men and of angels, had the gift of prophecy, could fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, had faith that could literally move mountains, gave all he had to the poor and surrendered his body in martyrdom, I would definitely be impressed by a dude like that, I would say that there is one incredibly powerful man of God. But you say if love is missing, he is nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

...And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.