Monthly Archive for July, 2006

Superficiality

Published on July 31, 2006 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

I think the two main issues for Christianity today aren’t the ones most often thought. Christians in America today seem to be hot and bothered about gays and abortion. George Barna also agrees that these are the “hot buttons” for many Christians. It’s as though if we coud make everyone straight and pro-life, the world would be safe. Isn’t it strange that two things that Jesus said nothing about, the church in America (not in other parts of the world) majors on?

Amazing distractions!

For me, the two major problems for Christianity (in America) are superficiality and a false image of God!
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Division and Comparison

Published on July 30, 2006 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

I don’t know what the possibility of getting rid of the Either-Or world that exists in the Western church is; however, I know it needs to be one of the first objectives.

This black and white world that exists especially in the church has to go. The dualism of religion is nothing but destructive. The US vs. THEM does not serve the Kingdom of God or the cause of Jesus. And the simplistic two-tiered cosmos allows no room for true Christian mysticism. And finally, I find it baffling that so many outside the church get it, while those of the cloth seemingly do not.

Let me take one example. The movie, The Matrix.
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Free to Be

Published on July 30, 2006 in Sermon Podcasts. 0 Comments

July 30, 2006 – We are free to be and live the greatest possible life that one can imagine, but for some reason, too many choose a different life. In our egoic state we somehow think that our way and our plans are better than God’s. We have been hard-wired and created to be so much more than we are. Isn’t it about time we started trusting God for the BEST of life, instead of living our mediocre one?

 
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Who Jesus Is

Published on July 29, 2006 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

God became man that man might become God. Athanasius

Such quotes and statements bring anywhere from fear to hope to a person depending upon where one has placed their security. And that’s a good question isn’t it. Where is our security? In America it is a dangerously subtle proposition. It’s so easy to rely upon the ability to make wealth, pension plans, medical insurance, and a myriad of entitlement and governmental programs. The prosperity gospel has replaced the four gospels of the New Testament in many churches in America. God’s not against wealth. He wants us to be successful and prosper. He just wants us to allow Him to do it. But, we Americans are an impatient lot. If you live in a third world country, chances are your security comes from out there, some place other than from just yourself though.
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The Lost Internal Control

Published on July 29, 2006 in Spiritual Advice. 0 Comments

One of the interesting mental contructs that has developed over the last 25-50 years has been a switch from individual to social responsibility: in the wrong way. we now look to the government for entitlement, and all things that relate to us living a successful and prosperous life. And it make it so much easier to plat the blame game with an entity than a person. Continue reading ‘The Lost Internal Control’

Two Options

Published on July 27, 2006 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

True spirituality is what you do with your pain!

We basically have two options. We can transmit the pain or we can transform it, meaning that we allow it to transform us. Without spiritual understanding we will always take whatever pain we have suffered, or are suffering, and we’ll project it on to someone else that gets close to our hot button.

If we have been rejected a couple of times, before long we will find ourselves rejecting others at the slightest indication, just so we aren’t rejected first. If we’ve not received love, we will sooner or later withhold our love from others. If we feel we’ve been misunderstood, it becomes easy for us to shut off others and judge them at the slightest provocation.

Listen, no one else is your problem.
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Can We Be ONE?

Published on July 25, 2006 in Spiritual Advice. 0 Comments

Matthew 5:45 says that stuff happens to everyone. It rains on the parade of everyone from time to time. It doesn’t matter if you are Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, or a hybrid of some sect that no one can comprehend. So, is there just one God? Even more intersting. Is there just ONE church, apostolic, Catholic? And what does Unitarianism have to do with anything, if anything at all. I don’t pretend to have the answers, but I will venture a few thoughts. Continue reading ‘Can We Be ONE?’

You Are In

Published on July 25, 2006 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

Seeing life from the hilltops of 2006, I am amazed at how far I have come in my walk with Jesus. And looking at the mountain tops that lie ahead of me. I wonder how far the Spirit might lead me, Have you ever wondered about it? There was once a time when I felt that Christians were weak people, who needed the crutch to walk. And I was a Christian when I thought that. I NOW know how much courage it truly takes to walk through the valleys of the Lord.

It was so much easier when I was embracing my ego, and being a man pleaser.

Most Christians in America want the “benefits of membership” which make their egos feel good. What am I saying? People come to church because it makes them “look” like good people. They feel more accepted and acceptable to the community. It could even be good for their business- help make them money. Adding church membership to a resume could even help one find a job. For many, church is a place where they can move up the ladder of success, gain standing in the “pecking order” of authority. And one can do it with so little effort!

Just act spiritual, do weird things, use religious phrases, and you are IN!
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What’s Up With All of This?

Published on July 24, 2006 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

What’s the church have to say about women? Wrong question!

What did Jesus have to say about women and what was His interaction with them? That’s a far more important question. Unfortunately the church does not have a very good track record in that area, among others. One has to remember that it wasn’t until about 90 years ago that we living in this nation, the land of the free, would even allow women to vote! The 19th Amendment to the constitution corrected that. The church though still places great restraints on women.

The debate still drones on in denomination after denomination as to whether a woman can teach, especially to men, or simply share. Like what’s the difference here? Can a woman be a deacon, an elder, ordained as a pastor. Why are we asking these questions? What do you think Jesus would say, what would He do?

What DID He do?
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Mystics and Moralists

Published on July 24, 2006 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

Jesus was the ultimate MYSTIC while Christians have become MORALISTS.

How have we so missed the message of Jesus? Mysticism as a concept, has been trashed by so many segments of Western Christianty and replaced by moral values, most of which we just proclaim, but don’t live. The Holy Spirit is a powerful mystic force at work in the life of every believer that chooses to call upon Him in their life. Christian mysticism is the Kingdom life we’re called to live.

Moralism does not lead to mysticism!
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