Was I worth the pain?
You had nothing left to gain
I know I’m the only one to blame
I’m broken on the floor
Staring at the door
Waiting on a Savior to walk in

For the life of me, why’d You bear my chains?
For the life of me why’d You walk to Calvary?
For the life of me I can’t explain
The reason You died and the reason You came was for the life of me

What do You see in me?
I’m a leper not a king
A mess that’s undeserving of Your name
I’ve disappointed You
Like a rose that never blooms
Failing to display my heart to You

Lord, let me be so bright
I escape every shadow using Your light
Are You waiting to see
That I will show
Your life in me?

-This Beautiful Republic : Perceptions  /For the Life of Me/

Tags: Good Friday, music, spiritual application, This Beautiful Republic

Naked Pastor

A result of salvation…calls us to face certain consequences.  Are we willing to accept that?

(ht: Naked Pastor)

I’ve Bren reading through Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller….I know finally, right? I’m reading his chapter of belief. These few sentences stood out to me, I wanted to share them.

“Even our beliefs have become trend statments. We don’t even believe things because we believe them anymore. We only believe things because they are cool things to believe.”

He also talks earlier about how some guys don’t believe in God and can prove it and some guys that DO believe in God and prove it. That the argument stopped being about God along time ago, and is now about who is smarter. Humm. This resonates with me and I’m not totally sure why. Just wanted to share that. Not really for any purpose other than it pricked my interest.

Tags: Blue Like Jazz, books, Donald Miller

It’s 12:30 at night. I’m laying in bed just thinking about life. Not sure why I’m wide awake, but I am. Perhaps it’s the frappacino I had tonight at starbucks. Anyway. I guess what is on my mind is how God has brought me to where I am over the past 6 months or so. Moving to CO, forming new friendships, life changes I’ve needed to make and how He has carried me so far. Even to the point of providing me a job in which I feel completely blessed to have. I believe it was a miracle and act of blessing.
However because of economic hardships, my place of employment is having to face some hard realities. I am not sure what this means specifically for me, but my heart yearns and cries out for all within this organization. It’s honestly going to be a hard week for all as some changes will happen. Things will be different. I might not have a job come tomorrow.
I know God is in control. I seem to find no sense in praying for His will to be done, because it’s going to be done regardless of me. I just pray that I give Him the glory. I pray that as he takes care of the sparrow, He will take care of me.
These are difficult days for a lot of people. It’s been amazing the faith we have demonstarted in money, in jobs, in our president. It’s a false faith.
Matthew 6 reminds us that God will take care of us, that we should not worry about tomorrow as today had enough trouble. One can only move ahead knowing that God is faithful in meeting outlr needs. Not out wants and selfish desires.
Please pray for me, my place of work, the leadership and the decisions they must make. It going to be a hard and stressful week. Uplift this ministry and the impact it has on this nation, this world.

Love what Brenning Manning writes today in “Faltering Steps”.

I find comfort (perhaps perverse pleasure) in knowing that the rock(Peter) on which Jesus would build the Church sank like a stone.

Despite who I am, He still uses me.

Tags: Brennan Manning, Devotional, Ragamufffin

When I get honest, I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes.  I believe and I doubt, I hope and I get discouraged, I love and I hate, I feel bad about feeling good, I feel guilty about not feeling guilty.  I am trusting and suspicious.  I am honest and I still play games. Aristotle said I am a rational animal; I say I am an angel with an incredible capacity for beer.

To live by grace means to acknowledge my whole life’s story, the light side and the dar.  In admitting my shadow side, I learn who I am and what God’s grace means.  As Thomas Merton put it, “A saint is not someone who is good but who experiences the goodness of God.“

- Brennan Manning – Jan 29

Love that last line.

Tags: Brennan Manning, Devotional, Ragamufffin

Since the day that Jesus first appeared on the scene, we have developed vast theological systems, organized worldwide churches, filled libraries with brilliant christological scholarship, engaged in earthshaking controversies, and embarked on crusades, reforms and renewals.  Yet there are still precious few of us with sufficient folly to make the mad exchange of everything for Christ; only a remnant with the confidence to risk everything on the gospel of grace; only a minority who stagger about with the delirious joy of the man who found the buried treasure.

I’ve started reading through “Reflections for Ragamuffins” by Brennan Manning in the mornings for my quiet times.  I will be sharing things that stick out to me and challenge me.  Hope you enjoy.

Tags: Brennan Manning, Devotional, Ragamufffin

The past couple of weeks I’ve been reading a book by Mike Erre called Death by Church.  The book purposes a case for what the church should be, how it relates to the world and furthers the kingdom.  Erre makes a bold and truthful statement of the Christian’s concept of salvation.  I think this rings true more than we care to admit, or even do anything about.  Here is what he has to say:

Our traditional conceptions of salvation are blatantly more individualistic, focusing on one’s individual reconciliation with God through a personal relationship with Jesus.  The emphasis seems to be only on giving Jesus our sins and not on every area and aspect of our human life.  It is more concerted with getting souls to heaven that with bringing heaven to earth.  This narrow gospel focuses only on the salvation of the human soul, but the gospel of the kingdom includes the salvation of human beings within the context of the larger story of God restoring all of creation.

This rings loud and clear with what I grew up with.  With my own life.  Salvation, accepting Jesus was just a way to get into heaven.  But it’s so much more than that. There is such a higher calling, a higher risk, a higher cost.  I believe its something to be considered weightily.  Are you willing to sacrifice choosing the kingdom of God or the kingdom of this world?

Tags: Bible, church, Death, Mike Erre, random thoughts, RockHarbor, thought provoking

Happy New Years to you. I pray that Gods blessing and provision for what you need is made known to you this new year and that you will draw closer to Him.

Tonight after I got home I was talking with a family member about resolutions that we had made for this new year. I shared with her that I didn’t really make them cause I either never keep them or remember them. Tonight I was reading Psalm 9 before heading to bed. Verse 1 and 2 stuck out to me as a great resolution to live for this year. Here is the verse:

Psalm 9:1-2
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

That’s all I can simply think of doing. That’s all I should be doing.

Tags: authenticity, transparent

In the gospel of Luke, the most familiar account of the Christmas story—the one most commonly read in churches and homes—is firmly rooted in history.  The narrative begins, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken” (Luke 2:1).  Luke’s mention of Augustus isn’t incidental or minor.  It sets the whole backdrop for the Christmas story.

Augustus was known as the “Savior” of the Roman Empire, bringing “peace” and “salvation” to his subjects.  He was called the “Lord” and came to be worshiped as god on earth.  Roman citizens were commanded to pray to him and offer sacrifices.  Temples and shrines were built in his name.  The census ordered by Augustus was one of the ways he controlled the empire.  By demanding taxes (or tribute, more specifically), Caesar could provide for his far-flung armies as well as humiliate the peoples under Roman “peace” by reminding them they lived at the will of Rome. 

Against this political backdrop, the announcement in Luke’s gospel is the announcement of a king born in direct opposition to the rule and reign of Caesar.  It is almost as if all the titles applied to Caesar were applied to Jesus in order to force people to choose between them.  If Jesus had been called one thing and Caesar another, people would have been tempted to believe they could worship both.  But when Savior, Lord, King, gospel, peace and salvation are specific descriptions applied to both rulers, the Christmas story forces us to choose:  Who is our Lord?  Who is our Savior?

The differences between these two saviors could not be overstated.  Augustus’s rule was defined by the sword, the shield, and the banners of his legions.  The kingdom of Jesus of Nazareth was marked by a manger, a cross, and a tomb.  No greater contrast could be imagined.  The birth of Jesus Christ was simply revolution: the birth of a different king, ushering in a differing kingdom, and threatening the kingdoms of this world.

Two different empires were established on the day of Jesus’s birth.  One built on power, the other on love.  One built on control, the other on freedom.  One built on oppression and bondage, the other on liberation.  Augustus was the embodiment of the best the world in all its ambition and lust can offer, a ruler who sat at the apex of a world-wide system of worship and domination.  Jesus, on the other hand, was destined to humble himself on a tree, sacrificing himself out of love.  

Jesus represents the dangerous alternative to the power of this world:  a different power, a different glory, a different peace, a different salvation.  The Christmas story ceases to be an idyllic myth:  it becomes clear these two empires are destined to collide.  The birth of Jesus is divine insurrection and outright revolution.

The Christmas story forces us to choose between these two kingdoms.  Do we bow before the Caesars of our time, or dare we embrace the kingdom of Jesus?

From The Jesus of Suburbia by Mike Erre (W Publishing Group)

{This is a repost from Mike Erre’s blog - Wishing you a Merry Christmas, praying that you chose Christ this season if you don’t know him, and not the temporary “rulers” of this world.}

Tags: Choose, Christmas, Jesus, Jesus of Suburbia, Mike Erre

I downloaded a preview chapter of a book by my favorite author, Mike Erre.  The book was just released and I have it ordered already.  It is called Death by Church.  While I am trying to grasp the full context of the book as I read more.  As you might have guessed the book deals a good bit about ‘The Church’.  The current state of the church, how we got here, and where we are going.  Mike quotes a gentleman who made this statement:

It amazes me to consider how much effort and how many resources (time, money and people) are expended for a single hour once a week. We have made church nothing more than a religious show that takes place on Sunday, and after it’s done we all go home, until church starts again next week, same time, same place. Is this what the bride of Christ is?

- Neil Cole

How often I look at church as this.  Man this book has been rockin’ my perspective on things.  Mike has had a huge impact in my life reading his books.  Most likely he doesn’t know this.  But I’d encourage you to take a look.

(HT: Mike Erre)

Tags: books, church, Mike Erre, RockHarbor

Periods of spiritual decline occur in history because the gravity of indwelling sin keeps pulling believers first into formal religion and then into open apostasy.

- Dynamics of Spiritual Life

Richard F. Lovelace.

Sorry I haven’t written much lately.  Haven’t had much to write about, and been really busy with work and other activities.  Been reading through the book I quoted from above.  Really good stuff so far.

Sorry for not posting much original thought stuff lately.  Trying to adjust to working and life after work and honestly haven’t had much time to do writing or just thinking about stuff.  Life has been going pretty well I would say.  But I ran across this cartoon tonight, and it struck me that I sometimes do this.  Alienate people and lost or saved.  I think through God’s grace this has been something He has really been working on in my life.  But honestly how often do we do this through the church?  Or the church it’s self?  I honestly have loved being and growing in the body of believers in the church I have been attending.  I am thankful for their desire to reach out locally and worldwide, and actually do it and love it.  It’s been a great change of pace from what I’ve been used to, I think. It’s just different.  It’s just good.

(HT: The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus)

Thin Ice

If Starbucks looked like most churches.

This guy’s got talent

Read this on a blog two nights ago…forget which one it was.  It’s really good.

When a person allows their regrets to hold them captive – it seems to me that it is the ultimate display of pride. To not forgive ourselves – when God died to forgive us for our mistakes/sins – aren’t we really saying that we think our sin is too great for Christ to forgive? Not to believe fully in His sacrifice – IS the ultimate display of pride and lack of humility. Our regret is somehow too great to forgive?