I'm always pondering the hard questions about my faith. Like, homosexuality (the questions that lie within), what about terrorists and evil? Why are we still here if we are so terrible? There are others but you get the gist. Questions that people love to ask but won't let us answer, yeah, those types of questions.
Christianity is becoming somewhat of a hated thing around the world. It isn't a surprise, we shouldn't react as if we didn't know it would happen. Part of it is the Church's fault for not stepping up and being what we should be in the name of Jesus to the communities around us and the world. However, I think the other part is that people aren't educated about what following Jesus is really supposed to look like. Also, on another note, many Christians are not even very educated on what that looks like.
Many people feel that it is just ritualistic with no attachment of emotion or intellect. Simply take the communion, go to church, pray at church, and you have gone through something like a car inspection; legal to have your salvation pass for at least another week. Others think it is something of a brainwashing as if since birth we are fed all of these religious sayings and doctrines that may or may not be true thus we cannot study this faith for ourselves and if we do God might strike us down because we went out of line. Some think it's pure bigotry made to look like religion. Others think we started to believe this way so that somehow we might be in a higher class of society able to stick our noses up at anyone who does not believe the same as us.
So I have asked myself the hardest question over and over to myself: What are my motives for believing in Jesus? Well it can't be for high class, I am called to deny myself because myself is sick. It wants what the world wants, it wants money, fame, and the superficial love of millions. Jesus has called me to deny this because there is something worth more than gold, more infamous than worldly fame, and a love that goes deeper than the lowest parts of the ocean.
What are my motives for following Christ? What has convinced me of his power? Why have I invested so much? Well I will tell you. Because God said "see for yourself." I mean I went the other way, I had my teenage moments, I had a taste of the other path, I ran through the muck the world tells us is fun (not as deep as some, but still, enough). When the "fun" ended I felt it again, as if there was a storm drain in my gut flushing all the good feelings and stuff away. I felt the void in my body, just hollow, being filled with many temporary things. But is my motive to constantly feel good about myself? No.
I tell you about the other path because I want you to know I haven't always been influenced by church and godly people. I saw for myself, even from where I stood in the shallow end, that I didn't want to go any further. My God is a God who allows us free-will and he took that chance on us because he does not want us to love him because we HAVE to love him. I chose that path for the moment and I will never again want that path.
I suppose my motive for following Christ is because against all odds I am free to love with a huge love because I have been unchained from the wall of bitterness and anger since Jesus took that all away from me on the cross so that I can have eternal salvation and communion with my God and Savior. The more I experience the love of God and his people the more pure love I see and feel. Because this love gives sacrificially and allows me to do the same.
So, what's my philosophy about dealing with homosexuals? Love them, because Jesus does. What about terrorists and people of the like? It's hard, but love them, because while they live they may find salvation. Why are we still here if we are terrible people? Because God chose to love us despite our constant betrayal of him. Because mankind is not our enemy, Satan is our enemy, and our quarrel is with him, but he will be crushed and all of these things will pass away and something new and beautiful will grow from it's ashes.
And that's pretty awesomazing.
All to God.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
In The Rainforest
Cracker Jacks! It's been way to long since I wrote to you last! My sincerest of apologies my friends, sincerely! Much has happened, but I'm here to talk about the recent happenings that I have experienced just in the past few days.
In the jungles of youth ministry there are many vicious animals, but none so violent as the Absent Youth Minister; better known as AYM. In the rainforest of Church, AYM can be a deadly thing, something that only it's good twin brother Active Youth Minister (AcYM) can demolish. However in the sub-jungle called Poplar, AYM runs a muck with the little ones who reside in Poplar. The citizens of Poplar are trying their best to rid themselves of this dreadful thing, constantly calling on any prospective AcYM that might be able to do good in the land of Poplar!
There are those trying to protect the children from a directionless path that the AYM brings. We come with swords and daggers, fire and sheer determination, but our platform is not stable. In efforts to help the children cope without AcYM we try to help them all we can. We try to help them grow spiritually and we try to let them have fun, but something's gone awry.
In the heart of the jungle sector known as youth conferences there are many who take the stage, and this weekend that conference was CCYC. I had an ache in my heart for them to see exactly what it is to be completely sold out for Jesus. The speaker was Ajai Lall and he spoke of persecution in India, and how believers were holding fast to the Gospel they came to know and love. It became increasingly obvious that these kids, not only ours, but many others I'm sure, do not know about the world that surrounds us. They have a view of the world saturated with ethnocentrism and it isn't their faults.
They are learning what they are taught and what the adults in their lives are willing to talk about with them. There were children at this conference who were being entertained by their parent's Ipad instead of the Gospel teaching. While Ajai talked about orphaned and abandoned children, because of some Hindu god, persuaded parents that their physically challenged or mentally challenged children are not worth life so it is better to leave them to die, we sat in that room and talked about it afterwards and many said that they wouldn't go to India because of the fear of being killed. This is contrary to God's word.
In the jungles of youth ministry there are many vicious animals, but none so violent as the Absent Youth Minister; better known as AYM. In the rainforest of Church, AYM can be a deadly thing, something that only it's good twin brother Active Youth Minister (AcYM) can demolish. However in the sub-jungle called Poplar, AYM runs a muck with the little ones who reside in Poplar. The citizens of Poplar are trying their best to rid themselves of this dreadful thing, constantly calling on any prospective AcYM that might be able to do good in the land of Poplar!
There are those trying to protect the children from a directionless path that the AYM brings. We come with swords and daggers, fire and sheer determination, but our platform is not stable. In efforts to help the children cope without AcYM we try to help them all we can. We try to help them grow spiritually and we try to let them have fun, but something's gone awry.
In the heart of the jungle sector known as youth conferences there are many who take the stage, and this weekend that conference was CCYC. I had an ache in my heart for them to see exactly what it is to be completely sold out for Jesus. The speaker was Ajai Lall and he spoke of persecution in India, and how believers were holding fast to the Gospel they came to know and love. It became increasingly obvious that these kids, not only ours, but many others I'm sure, do not know about the world that surrounds us. They have a view of the world saturated with ethnocentrism and it isn't their faults.
They are learning what they are taught and what the adults in their lives are willing to talk about with them. There were children at this conference who were being entertained by their parent's Ipad instead of the Gospel teaching. While Ajai talked about orphaned and abandoned children, because of some Hindu god, persuaded parents that their physically challenged or mentally challenged children are not worth life so it is better to leave them to die, we sat in that room and talked about it afterwards and many said that they wouldn't go to India because of the fear of being killed. This is contrary to God's word.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
1 John 4:18
We should not fear like those without Christ should fear opposition, persecution, or death. We have been made into a new creature who does not fear punishment after death, because we have been promised an everlasting life with the Father.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20
We are called to go no matter how scary the situation or the area of choice. We know there are people out there who will love God if only they were told and discipled. It is not a question of will I die, it is most certainly going to happen, maybe not on a physical level but we will die to ourselves and I think that is the biggest fear among youth today. They do not want to give up what they like or love in this world to follow Christ and the cross is just a little too daunting. Many feel they need to reach some sort of level of perfection before they can do anything related to Christ other than the obvious thing like don't murder people.
Even if it is a fear of the evils of this world, our kids need to understand, yes there is evil and it will affect us. However, there is good news, God gives us the Great Protector, and the Great Sustainer. The Holy Spirit is sent to reign in our lives and direct us, lead us, empower us, sustain us, counsel us, and so much more. We don't need to be afraid, and we don't need to turn a willingly blind eye. Young and old are called to do these things and we must answer the call.
Although AYM is running a muck through the youth at Poplar, the citizens are fighting with a rage to protect them. We are searching for AcYM but in the meantime we will continue to teach the kids as best we can about the world, and we will be honest in doing so. We will teach them to love people no matter their race or religion. We will teach them to have a burden in their hearts for the Christ-less of those in their communities and throughout the world. It really does take a village to raise these kids and people of Poplar, if you are reading this talk to your kids about this world and their role as a Christian man and woman comes into play. Teach them that every person is valuable to God no matter how dirty the world has made them.
Teach them so that when we do find an AcYM to step in this place that we continue to help them grow and the AcYM will see the passion in the kids for Christ.
I know this was long and I appreciate you sticking with me, I just had to share what was lingering on my heart. As a citizen of the sub-jungle Poplar located in the rainforest of Church I say....good day to you all.
All to God
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)