Monthly Archive for March, 2011

Cruelty & Compassion

Published on March 31, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

The Bible sure isn’t what it’s made out to be, or should I say it’s not what it was taught to me.

Raising children in a Christian home takes a bit more skill and clarity these days than it did when we gathered around the TV and watched, Leave It To Beaver. Which stories do you tell your kids as we approach the Easter season? Do you keep things light and major on Easter eggs, the soft and cute bunnies, the colored chickens, and spring clothes? Do you make sure that the kids are taken to church to see a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus, complete with sounds of nails being hammered in his hands and almost believable blood stains?

Oh yes, and live animals as well?

Ah, what to do, what to say to vulnerable young minds and emotions.

Which story of the creation is right? Is it the story of glory or the story of shame? Which story of Paul does sone embrace as an adult (it’s not just about kids you know). Does one share the I Cor.13 touching story that Paul gives to us or the Galatians 5 story wherein (verse 12) Paul says (The Message), “Why don’t these agitators, obsessive as they are about circumcision, go all the way and castrate themselves“.

Ouch! Where’s the LOVE Paul?

Ah, herein  is the rub, the key to Bible interpretation. One must use their  brain, common sense, and above all be led by the spirit and not by some fundamentalist teaching of yesteryear. Life is full of cruelty and compassion; however, the Creator knows only unconditional love.

Magic Prayer?

Published on March 30, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

Have you ever been on a magic carpet ride?

Listen, we were born to be wild, or so said the Canadian band Steppenwolf. They wrote the rock song, Magic Carpet Ride in the late 60′s thus I am sure many of you have no memory of such. But, back to the question at hand. Have you said the MAGIC PRAYER? It is far more critical and important for your life after life!

Every journey begins at some point and for some it’s when one speaks the MAGIC PRAYER and invites Jesus into their hearts.

I’m good with that- for as far as it goes.

However, there’s far more to life than buying or getting a fire insurance policy (from an eternal hell) that will guarantee you a HALL PASS into HEAVEN!  On many occasions I have heard people wonder and question, I hope he has said the magical prayer. Unfortunately, many Christian denominations have made the goal of being a Christian tied to “saying the magical prayer” and going to heaven instead of BEING the Christos that we are and loving everyone unconditionally, which includes not trying to convert them to your ideas.  

There are many magical prayers so let’s move on past the first one that get’s the journey started. Whatcha say?

River Oaks Upgrade?

Published on March 29, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

The price of a home in River Oaks is not what the average man on the street can own, much less even those in the upper middle class range.

However, that’s the picture that’s painted in many churches every Sunday. Come to JAY-ZUS and you too can live in River Oaks. In fact, you’ll do even better because the streets will be made of gold. Best of all there will be no mortgage to pay. Everything in heaven is FREE! Do you really think that is the best the God can offer?

Do you really think heaven is PHYSICAL?

Does heaven occupy some PLACE in SPACE?

Is that what the Bible mans when it says so on earth, so too in heaven?

Whatever happened to the God is SPIRIT mantra? Must we make everything into FORM, idealize materiality, and of course create separateness once again- even in heaven? I have my own house? I get to choose single story or multi-level? Why? Will we marry in heaven, have children, need our own bathroom, etc. Can we not see how nonsensical all of this is?

The true heavenly UPGRADE is better than iPad2, Pandora 10.1, or Windows 7. The spiritual heavenly upgrade is literally and figuratively- out of this world!  :-)

Rescue Me!

Published on March 28, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

Does anyone remember that song? Here’s a bit of the lyrics-

“Won’t you come and rescue me
Separate myself from me
Maybe I’m too blind to see
Save my life
Won’t you come and rescue me
I’m torn away from what I need
Help me now I’m way too deep
Save my life
Rescue me”

The world is full of people who need rescuing. Currently the United States and a few nations feel that the “rebels” in Eastern Libya need rescuing from that tyrant in Western Libya; however, there is a silent cry that’s deafening, and it’s coming from an unlikely place- the Church! No, people aren’t crying out for God to recue them, the people are pleading with the priests for mercy………….FROM GOD!

Rescue us from the eternal hell that God can and will inflict on us if we repent not!

Rob Bell in his new book, Love Wins, needs rescuing from the fundamentalist Christian world when he writes things such as this. “Many have heard the Gospel framed in terms of rescue. God has to punish sinners, because God is holy, but Jesus has paid the price, for our sin, and so we can have eternal life. What this teaching can subtly do is teach people that Jesus rescues us from God.”

That my friend, is a very strongly ingrained image.

We don’t need to be rescued from God, but from OURSELVES!

How Great Thou Art?

Published on March 27, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art! How great Thou art! Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

How I loved to sing that song, often times with eyes filled with tears.

But then came the reality of living with people throughout the week and seeing that there was some sort of disconnect between songs sung and lives lived. Did God make some mistake when he/she created some of us? I am sure that you can think of a few people that you would say YEAH and AMEN (meaning yes I know some God made a mistake on creating).

If so, could he/she be God then? Really? 

It’s preached that God created us to have a relationship with him/her. If so, what’s wrong with this picture then? Why do so many people not only NOT have a relationship with God, but they’re really afraid of this being called God? If God is so GREAT, what’s wrong with this picture called life in 2011? Am I missing something in the definition of the word GREAT?

Or, could it be that God is truly GREAT, but we have this thing called an EGO that thinks it’s GREATER, if not the GREATEST thing since red wine was discovered.

It Was Me After All!

Published on March 26, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

In the first half of life or something like the first 30 years of ones existence here on planet earth is dedicated to building up the EGO. If we’re truly on the journey of spiritual embrace to any large extent, we then begin to divest ourselves of the EGO that we’ve dedicated to much of our time, money, and energy.

However, I must warn you the EGO doesn’t go easily.

Let me share a personal revelation that makes my point. In the big bad world out there, I was a highly PRODUCTIVE person. The “I” in Me was most effective. When I was called into the ministry late in life, (age 43) I surrendered to a CALL that I never thought possible. I was now ready to lay everything down and serve God.

One of the first words that I received in my spirit and the first message that I preached was around Zechariah 4:6. “It’s not by POWER & MIGHT but by the Spirit”.

There was one problem though. I had these HABITS! I brought ME into the church profession. Much like Luther who tried to be a righteous monk, discovering as he’s attributed to have said, “I discovered that I brought the scoundrel that I was in the world, into the monastery with me”, and so did I.

You see whoever I was out there (world), I was in here (church).

It’s quite a downer to discover we can’t the ME that WAS and probably still IS into that spiritual realm where the I AM created the real deal a long, long time ago. By the way, you don’t have to go into the ministry to discover that.

Change & Transformation

Published on March 25, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

Psychologists and sociologists say that change bring REGRESSION!

Well, if you think that might have some set-backs for you, wait until you try out transformation: it will knock your lights out, but of course that’s the objective. The two words, and concepts are day and night.

CHANGE: A tweaking of current practices, a refinement of what is, a short term event, and basically a superficial alteration that most often has short term consequences.

TRANSFORMATION: A long term, life-changing, systemic, deep and monumental change in behavior and direction with major consequences.

Got the picture?

Changing churches doesn’t change you because you bring YOU with you. Wherever you go, you are. Changing church attendance frequency and giving concepts only costs you more time and money generally without any positive benefits. Spiritual transformation is a surrendering who you think you are for who you really are: it’s the death of the ego or a mortal wound that will forever allow you to see life much differently.

And, your friends and family will take note- BIG TIME!

21st Century Trinity?

Published on March 24, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

One of the most perplexing doctrines in all of Christianity (and other religions) is that of the TRINITY!

It wasn’t until the Council of Constantinople in 381CE that the Holy Spirit was defined after realizing that the nature of Jesus debate of the council of Nicea had spent all of its energy on the nature of Jesus. Of course this trinitarian doctrine was not the work of James, John, Peter, or any of the Jewish fathers: it was the committee of Rome and friends.

Jews believed in a monotheistic God, not some “Three-in-One” approach.

Some 2,000 years later, I have come up with my own Trinity. Are you ready for this?

1-There’s the Creator-Father-Consciousness of the world: the one true God of Israel and all of us regardless of whatever name you choose to use.

2-There’s Jesus the role model whom much of the Western church has turned into a God that needs to be worshipped, not followed.

3-Then there’s the Holy Spirit, our 24/7 advisor on call at the hint of a prayer or concern if we only choose to listen.

Thus my trinity is God, Role Model, Advisor-Counselor.

Let me hasten to remind you that there are two other components that one needs to navigate this journey of life. We need a manual of principles (the many Bibles of the world), and we need a support group (Church, spiritual community, home group, whatever) to work out the practicalities of day-to-day life.

What’s working for you?  :-)

Good Christians Or….. Something More?

Published on March 23, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

The last time I saw a demographic on religions in America there was something north of 100,000,000 “born-again” BELIEVERS.

More than 95% of the people in America believe in God! But, which God might that be? That demographic statistic really doesn’t tell us anything in today’s culture. Do you believe in God? Sure thang! Do you consider yourself a GOOD CHRISTIAN? Sure thang, for the most part.

So, what is a good Christian anyway?

George Barna says most people when asked if they are a good Christian define such as: attend church at least once a month, read the Bible at least once a month, quote God’s word frequently, occasionally give to a good cause and maybe even tithe, and of course the ultimate litmus test of a good Christian- they take their kids to Sunday School!

Woo Hoo!

Would you believe MAKE their kids go to Sunday School which some times means dropping them off and then going for breakfast, returning in time to pick them up after Sunday School. There’s a big difference in a good Christian and a FOLLOWER of Jesus! Saying the “sinners prayer” is not my idea of following Jesus.

Rather than trying to define what following Jesus is all about, let me just ask one question.

Do you love everyone: your enemies, lesbians, Shiites, and Democrats?  :-)

Ground Hog Day

Published on March 22, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

Let’s take a look at the normal day in the life of most employed Americans.

You crawl out of  bed, take a shower, grab a cup of coffee, hit the road to work, put in a full eight hours, get in the car and drive home, eat supper, catch a TV program or two, and go to bed. You get up in the morning and hit the REPEAT BUTTON!

If you’ve not seen the move (Ground Hog Day) with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, you just got a glimpse of it in the above paragraph.

It’s the story of a weather man who is reluctantly sent to cover a story about a weather forecasting “rat” (as he calls it). This is his fourth year on the story, and he makes no effort to hide his frustration. On awaking the ‘following’ day he discovers that it’s Groundhog Day again, and again, and again. First he uses this to his advantage, then comes the realization that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing EVERY day.

Too many people have that same “doomed” feeling about life.

Sometimes we get so buried in the routines that we’ve built into our lives that it’s like pilots on an intercontinental flight who put the plane on auto pilot and doze off to sleep. They CAN do that and we CAN do that- unfortunately. Thus we’ve made life a NO BRAINER and you can take that literally too.

Living by the Spirit is an adventure in excitement- some is even good excitement. Are you ready to get off of the treadmill of life and get on the highway of Consciousness?