2 paths to purpose

There are two paths to take. 1 the path of Judas, 2 the path of Peter. Judas denied Christ and ends up killing himself. Peter denied Christ and goes on to start the church.Keep in mind both were disciples, both were baptized, both saw Jesus perform miracles, both heard him speak, both performed miracles, and both had their feet washed at the last supper. Yet they took different paths. In Judas’ mind there must of been nothing worth going on for yet for peter he found purpose.For 3 years these disciples did the same physical things, so the only difference must of been their hearts. It’s a great illustration of Jesus sermon on the mount. Where he say ” I didn’t come to destroy the law I came to add too it.” He added the heart condition to the physical law.

It’s also a great illustration of purpose. We try so hard to do everything right. And we think that 1 mistake wipes away a life time of preparation. But we see here it’s not if you mess up or not, it’s how you react. What do you do after you deny Christ? Peter could of gone the same route as Judas, but he found purpose.

Which will you choose. The path that leads to Judas, or the path that leads to Peter?

My Psalms 003

I wasn’t there when you laid the earths foundation

you didn’t consult me when you created time

I missed the day you held auditions for the stars in heaven

I’m not clever enough to make the sun fall and rise

You breathe and creation trembles

your voice plays like a symphony

Yet when I speak I know you listen

                                                         selah

My Psalms 002

I can be better than this, not on my own, with Christ help

There’s another level to which I’ve never even been

And it’s not about how much you produce or how hard you work

backaches are not a sign of Godly living

So why try so hard to be more?

by earthly standards, I’ve got it all

a wife, kids, a house, a job

all my earthly needs are met

I need nothing!

I don’t drink too much

I don’t smoke

I don’t gamble

I hardly ever cuss

I don’t abuse my wife, or kids

I don’t have a questionable background

there are no skeletons in my closet

While so many people lower their standards so lower they can walk over them

I feel the need to raise my standards so high

I have to spend the rest of my life jumping to try and get a hold

When did the number of hours we work become our badge of honor?

When did the amount of money we make determine how holy we are?

There is a better way to live

I can be better than this

My Psalms 001

How your ways out number mine

when I try to decode your mysteries

I find my self in awe

Like a child trying to learn geometry

                                                          selah

I can’t put handles on your knowledge

I can’t attach a formula to your ways

my best efforts to figure you out, your rhythm and ryhme

leave my in open mouthed awe

will there be a day when all of history is revealed

I can’t wait to sit in class and watch the game tape of creation

to study the play call of our creator

your ways oh God, our number my very thoughts

Sober

sobering- Not intoxicated,straight forward, serious. Devoid of exaggeration or imagination. to be controlled and sane.

 To me this is why the gospel is so important. It’s easy to become intoxicated with life. How much stuff can I own, and no matter how much you do own it’s never enough. Reading scripture helps keep me sober. It reminds me of whats really important. It helps take the exaggeration out of my life, and let some of the air out of my ego, so I don’t become numb to God’s call.

I can be better than this

At 26, by the American standard I’m as good as it gets. I’m not an alcoholic,I don’t smoke, I hardly ever cuss. I don’t have an nasty habits, I don’t gamble, I have a clean background, no skeletons in my closet. I don’t abuse my wife, or kids, I’m not sexist, or raciest. I’ve never cheated on my wife, I don’t even flirt with other women.I have a job, I make good money, I own a house, two cars, have 3 kids. I love life, even the little things. Like explaning to a 3 year old why fish die, and what heaven looks like to a 5 year old.By the American standard this is as good as not only life gets, but as good as a person can be. the majority of the world dosn’t have a job, most will never own a home, and almost a billion people still don’t have clean water to drink. But I do at 26.

Yet the more I confront God about my life the more I feel uneasy. I keep hearing in my head. I can be better than this. There is still alot of progress to make. even if others are happy to set the bar so low that they can walk over it. I feel like God wants me to set my bar as high as possible, even if that mean I spend my whole life jumping to try and reach it.

I can be better than this, how about you?

YHVH

I heard Jack Hester from the People of Mars Hill talk about The Holy name of God

IT’s made up of Letters in Hebrew, We technically don’t know how to pronounce it. In the old testament it’s usually replaced with Adonai. This name was so Holy you weren’t even aloud to say it or you would die.

The only time you could say it, was if you were the high priest on the day of atonement. The YHVH is were we get the name Yahweh.

I’ve heard YHVH pronounced as (Yo-Hey-va-hey).

Cup of Wrath

Purple Jesus | part 3 | section 8

This is something I just want to remember to mention. The cup of wrath theory says that jesus in the garden was speaking about the cup in Jermiah 25. The cup of wrath that God would pour out for judgement. And that when Jesus says “take this cup from me” he’s asking for God to try and find another way to pour out that cup, so Jesus wouldn’t have to drink it. But Jesus says not my will but yours be done.

Then on the cross when Jesus says “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me. Whats happening is Gods transferring the sins of man on too Jesus. And for the first time Jesus is separated from his father. Jesus becomes our Azazel. He is lead out of the city, the sins of the nation were transferred to him, and he was slain.

Can the church cause more harm than good?

We never like to think about the church actually hurting people, but it does. Churches can easily re-inforce unhealthy world views, and make people feel like they don’t have to change.

If a church spends money of buying food for other families for thanksgiving, and the pastors all live in moderate homes, and drive late model sedans. It says something about the ethos ( heart, culture) of that church.

If a church spends money redesigning the extorier of the church, putting in a coffee bar, and all the pastors live in 200,000 to 300,000 homes, have cell phones, pda’s, and drive suv’s. It also tells you something about that churches ethos.

you have in your church people who are so disconnected from reality, that they think a job that makes $40,000 a year isn’t worth taking. And they watch what the church spends money on, and it re-inforce the idea that image is important. Where you live is important, what you drive is important, what you do for a living is important.When pastors wives never repeat an outfit, it tells the people of that church that clothes are important.

When the sermons on sundays are exciting and well communicated, have power point slides, cool lights, and, video. But don’t challenge people to examine their lives. Is the church causing more harm than good?

How much responsibility should the church take?

My question is how much responsibility should the church take in our lives?I know it’s impossible to measure because it’s not black and white. And unfortunatly people don’t go to churches to be challenged, they go to hear a free pep talk, hoping it will make them feel better about the fact their living in a house they can’t afford, driving cars that are too expensive and using credit cards too make ends met. Even though they are billions of people who live off of less than 2 dollars a day. If you preach what they don’t want to hear, they’ll leave.I am well aware of how most church people act.

I think as a pastor you have to step back every year and ask, and look, and research people lives. And then you have to ask the difficult questions. Like, are we any different then we were a year ago? Has there been any outward progress? If not who’s fault is it?

What I’m not saying…

I’m not saying the church is responsible for all the action of it’s congregation.

What I am saying…

I am saying I think the church has a responsibility to challenge the way people think.

I happen to believe that one of the major functions of a church is to make you question what you do, what you say, what you buy, where you live, what you believe, etc… To help keep people from becoming stagnate.

So, How much responsibility should the church take?