Posts Tagged ‘peace’

It Is NOT SAFE!!

// May 5th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // My God, My Life, My Thoughts

Don’t let somone tell you it is! It is NOT SAFE!!! So many Christians wander around this world thinking that for some reason if they serve God that everything will be ok! They blindly walk with a fake smile on their face screaming through their teeth “WHY IS THIS NOT WORKING?!!” Of all the dissillusioned people I meet the christians that are still holding on to these philosophies are the hardest to reach. It’s as if they beleive that they only need to try harder, to be more serious, to act more holy and then they will find peace. And so many of them say… in the midst of their pain … “The safest place for me to be is in the center of the will of God”  as if there is some secret bubble of safety that we are all trying to maintain balance within.  What a load of garbage!  This is the kinds of garbage that gets prolipherated when people decide to develop religions and systems of doctrine instead of just following Jesus!  Jesus was never safe! and if there was anyone that could “hold the bubble” it would be him!

The Truth is

  1. IT IS NOT SAFE
  2. The will of God is bigger than you think
  3. God is more concerned with souls than he is with your safety

It is not safe

Within the will of God, Jesus Suffered, and every one of his disciples suffered, Martyrs were killed for being in the will of God… just in case you haven’t heard your life is in danger!  Serving God is not just some silly fad that you can claim ownership by wearing a bracelet! It requires risk and pain and heartache, Jesus said “I come not to bring peace but a sword” Matthew 10:34-39  He is not saying that we should bear arms against each other but that we must defy anything that would ask us to reject him. So get the idea that your life is going to be all tulips and daisies out of  your head… your destiny awaits you!

The will of God is bigger than you think.

This is where you need to stretch your mind a little.

imagine the first choice you ever made…  draw a point there.   imagine the last choice you make… and draw a point there..  if you were to list every possible choice in between those two points then the sum would equal your life.  and somewhere in all of those branching lines would be the path that you took… To a God that can see every possibility and every choice, don’t you think he would have a plan in place for even your worst possible choices?  so at what point could you actually make a choice that was outside of God’s will for you?  Sure you could make a bad choice but “all things work together for the good of those that love and serve him”  Romans 8:28  So even a “Bad” choice can fall within the will of God.

God is more concerned with souls than he is with your safety

Ask his son! Jesus!  If God was concerned with comfort would he have allowed Jesus to suffer one bit?  But this is a war over souls! and truly if hundreds of innocents must die so that one soul could be redeemed then so be it! We balk at such a stark offensive idea but that is because we are so attached to this flesh. We see innocents suffer and die and we wonder how God could allow it.  But suffering and even death on this earth is not even comparable to getting a sunburn from a spiritual perspective.  Even a lifetime of suffering  when compared to an infinity of time spent with God is not even worth mentioning.

These things that I write, I write them from experience, I have walked with God and regardless of my choices I have not found safety for my flesh.

I have made choices that I thought were good and regretted them and made choices I thought were bad and thanked God for them… His will is perfect regardless.

I have suffered through times that I thought I would not survive, yet in the very middle of that pain my soul has been replenished.

Can you see that these things can give you freedom, and peace, and strength?

Tags: anger, Art, beleive, choice, choices, christian, Christianity, christians, destiny, God, God's will, jesus, Love, My God, pain, peace, perspective, Religion, spirit, sun, truth

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About Religion and Relationship…

// February 21st, 2009 // 3 Comments » // My God

<this is an entry that I recently posted on a forum discussing the question : religion= happiness? I thought I would share it here also>

I have to say that religion in general is very frustrating and confusing!

all those rules! and exceptions!.. and they are always changing!

to give perspective in Antioch people that acted like Jesus “Christ” were called Christians…. Now… Christians do not act like Jesus “Christ” They most often act like the Pharisees and the Sadducees did. Ironically Jesus really gave those guys a hard time…

My experience… I was hopelessly addicted to pornography… It nearly destroyed my life in several ways… I was addicted to the point of seriously destructive behavior… I went 19 years struggling with this… I joined peer groups, accountability programs, bought software, confessed to others… everything that “Religion” teaches you to do. Finally I gave up trying to quit, I came to grips with the fact that I could not do it and being thoroughly convinced of that fact begged “GOD” to free me from the addiction. Today I have been addiction free for 3 years and have no compulsion whatsoever.. my marriage is improved, My mind is pure, and my heart is peacefull… because of unexplainable incidents such as this… the entire remainder of my existence is devoted to finding out more about the “Being” that can change things so drastically in an instant. I call Him “God”.. and I believe in Jesus because I identify with his nature that is described in history. Everything that he taught resonates within me and speaks of freedom, freedom from hate, dispair, anger, futility, sarcasm, cynicism, and all of the things that I want to be free from… and one by one they disappear as I learn more and more about this “Jesus”

Seek truth my friends… not to disprove it, but for the sake of knowing it… and you will find freedom.

Tags: anger, Art, christian, christians, cynicism, friends, God, jesus, peace, perspective, pharisees, porn, pornography, Religion, religion vs. relationship, sin, truth

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For The Sake Of…

// February 16th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // My God, My Life, My Thoughts

From the day that sin entered the world; legalism, condemnation, self-righteousness, and division has plagued the people of God. History records an unending cycle of negligence and renewal through the history of Israel and onward into the twentieth century.

I am a child of “freedom” being set free from the legalism of prior generations. My freedom allows me liberties that might be considered “Sinful” or “backslidden” by generations before me. I wear shorts and sandals to church, I only go to church once a week, listen to a broad variety of Rock music, and I have been known to whoop and jump up and down and clap in church. SCANDALOUS!!!

This is the new thing to do! to be “Radical” and “Tolerant”! I see a tidal wave of churches converting their services to “Contemporary” and joining the bandwagon of cool people like me!

I shake my head as “authenticity”, “worship”, “truth”, “passion” once again become trampled and unrecognizable in the en-masse rush to the new religion of freedom!

the great leaders that blazed a new trail back to the old paths, are forgotten, the old paths are left for something more comfortable- a new wider path of freedom!

Why do I say all of this?

I believe that we should check the slippery slope we stand on! I unreservedly believe that we should live free from condemnation and legalism. But at what point do we give up all things and become negligent?

I believe that we should do things for the sake of what they are, and what they represent!

Obviously God created us with free will and allows us every option through grace so that even at the last moment we could be snatched back from the maw of the pit.

For the sake of Mercy, be merciful
For the sake of Authenticity, be authentic!
For the sake of Truth, be truthful!
For the sake of Passion be passionate!
For the sake of Transparency, be transparent!
For the sake of Love, be loving!
For the sake of Peace, be peaceful!

the list can go on forever, I am just pleading with those that would dive off the cliff of freedom to do what you want at the expense of grace… Preserve these things!!!

these things are the things that we should treasure because they are facets of the nature of GOD!

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Tags: conviction, God, legalism, Love, music, peace, Religion, righteousness, rock, sin, truth, worship

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The Prophet (Prologue)

// February 8th, 2009 // 5 Comments » // My Novel

“Dawn is coming…” Two figures silhouetted by the rising sun, stand motionless watching the slate and violet colors of the night turn to golds and browns of the early morning. A slight chill reveals their their breath, almost in perfect sync, a golden spirit illuminated in the brassy rays of the freshly dawning day star.

“Another day.” Gabriel nods to Micah

“Thank the Lord” Micah breathes.

“any more news?” Micah poses the question as he has so many times.

“No” Gabriel soberly answers. “nothing… only that it feels like everyone is holding their breath.” Gabriel smiles slightly still looking at the sunrise. “but you and I know that’s not the case”

Micah bites his cheek… and turns slightly… “Look, I know this is not such a big deal to you… but it is to us! this changes everything!”

“not a big deal?” Gabriel turns to Micah with a piercing gaze… “not a big deal?… my friend this is what everything has been leading up too! how can you say it is not a big deal to us? do you not think this changes things for us also?”

” I… ” Micah started..

“Look!” Gabriel interrupted. “Just because you see things in such a narrow manner doesn’t mean that I have to! I am here to open your eyes my friend, and only at your insistence! you requested this!”

“I know… I know…” Micah nods, “It’s just that sometimes I forget… my perspective gets all out of line.”

Gabriel rests his hand on Micah’s shoulder. “It is all under control… be at peace my friend… do what you can, your job is not to interfere, but to assist.”

Micah drops his chin to his chest, and looks back up seriously “easier said than done… they look at me like I have an incurable disease!”

Gabriel raises his hand …
“I know I know! ” Micah interupts, smiling. “you don’t have to say it..”

Gabriel nods half smiling “alright my friend, until next time?”

Micah nods… looking back at the sunrise. “until next time… “

Tags: Art, peace, perspective, sin, spirit, sun, The Prophet

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Genius… finding something, and Foo Fighters?!

// January 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // My Music, My Thoughts

Don’t you love finding something that you had no idea you owned? It’s almost better that getting something you always wanted! There is just something about finding out you already own something you didn’t know you wanted yet!

Well recently I have been jamming to the Foo Fighters album on iTunes, and iTunes has a cool function now called genius that finds songs similar to the one you are listening to. Well, I clicked genius and up comes a song by Jars of Clay called “Work” and I re-discovered it!

It is a great song I was really hit by the lyrics and how they describe a struggle similar to my post Obsession… Gratification… Peace What really grabbed me the most are the following lines from the lyrics..

“I have no fear of drowning, it’s the breathing that’s taking all this work”

“Now all the demons look like prophets and I’m living out
every word they speak, every word they speak”

The great thing about songs is that the lyrics can be interpreted a million different ways… But to me this song seems to be about the struggles of materialism, and how empty it is… How we use things to fill our emptiness, alone-ness, and how we struggle against the constant undertow of materialism…trying to breathe! -“I have no fear of drowning, it’s the breathing that’s taking all this work”

I also see our struggles with the materialistic nature of television and how we are constantly bombarded with the “things we need” and how we just “live out every word they speak” by buying into all the hype… “Now all the demons look like prophets and I’m living out
every word they speak, every word they speak”

Listening to the “Good Monsters” album and There are some pretty good songs there!

so check out the lyrics of “Work”

Just in case, I will leave my things packed so I can run away
I cannot trust these voices

I don’t have a line of prospects that can give some kind of peace
There is nothing left to cling to that can bring me sweet release
I have no fear of drowning, it’s the breathing that’s taking all this work

Do you know what I mean when I say, ‘I don’t want to be alone.’
What I mean when I say, ‘I don’t want to be alone.’

Empty spaces, shadows hit by street lights
warning signs and weight of tired conversations

In the absence of a shoulder, in the abscess of a thief
On the brink of this destruction, on the eve of bittersweet
Now all the demons look like prophets and I’m living out
every word they speak, every word they speak

Do you know what I mean when I say, ‘I don’t want to be alone, ‘
What I mean when I say, ‘I don’t want to be alone’
What I mean when I say, ‘I don’t want to be alone.’

Do you know what I mean when I say, ‘I don’t want to be alone.’….
I have no fear of drowning. It’s the breathing that’s taking all this work.
Copyright 2006 Jars of clay

Tags: blog, different ways, Family, fear, foo fighters, Fun, gratification, hype, Love, materialism, My Music, obsession, peace, sin, unplugged, warning

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Obsession… Gratification… Peace…

// January 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // My Thoughts

I am a pretty focused guy… I tend to home in on something of interest and it completely dominates my world until something else snaps me out of it… I tend to think of it as a good character trait.. it tends to make me good at solving problems and in my line of work, solving problems is what keeps you employed.

As I was thinking about this character trait I noticed it in other areas of my life where it is not so desirable! I tend to go through phases where my interest in a subject is very intense and I want to learn everything about it… and then once I do.. I completely lose interest.

There seems to be a cycle of Obsession.. Gratification…and discontent… on to the next Obsession.

I swap out stuff like … music gear, computer gear, blogging! writing music, etc. Ultimately even though I know in my heart none of those “things” are of any value REALLY… somehow I convince myself that I should chase them anyways! So on goes the cycle…

I completely disappoint myself over and over again at the fact that though my heart knows the value of seeking God… I would much rather look at the new “toy” that I want.

Ultimately though I always cast those “things” away to go running back to Jesus… realizing that only he is worthy of my … obsession… gratification..and that alone gives me peace..

Tags: Art, blog, God, gratification, jesus, music, obsession, peace, running, seeking God

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