12/29/12

NOOMA Store | 016

Jesus gets angry

Jesus identifies himself is an injustice, something larger than himself.

Jesus anger increases the peace in the world. It leads to this deed that makes things better.

Does my anger make the world a better place?

The more and more I read, I watch documentaries, I see the world, the more I feel the void between the kingdom of God and what we on Earth settle for.

Ain't no reason things are this way. It's how it's always been and they intend to stay. I can't explain why we live this way but we do it everyday.

I watch this video and I think about God's original plan for our emotions. God is emotional. Emotions are good they are motivating. They are godly. But if abused they can be hellish.

Anger used selfishly is sin and destruction to both me and the people around me.
Anger used selflessly is healing and heavenly.

The more I read "no impact man" the more I see how badly we are messing up the original plan.

We wonder why we feel so empty in our lives its because we've outsourced living to machines.
Heating our house, there is a machine for that
Washing our dishes, there is a machine for that
Washing our clothes, there is a machine for that
Interacting with friends, there is a machine for that
Gathering food, there is a machine for that
Cleaning our homes, there is a machine for that
Traveling to places, there is a machine for that
Every part of my live has been taken from me and done by a machine. But life isn't easier, it isn't more enjoyable in fact now it is filled with reality tv, or boredom. And the price that I pay for these machines besides the actual bills they cost is the wonderful creation God has for me to explore and enjoy.

Have you ever seen a dog concerned that its life just isn't going anywhere?
A cat reflecting?
A horse not feeling centered?
Animals have a physical body but no spirit.
-Sex God Chapter Three

Part of having a physical body is doing physical things!

What if I planted, watered, and picked every meal that I then prepared and fed to my friends and family?
What if I gathered, sewed, and created every piece of clothing I wore?
What if I chopped, built, and dwell in a structure I created?

Would I feel more satisfied with my life? Would I spend so much time wondering about the meaning of life or the point of it all if instead I had things that needed to get done or I wouldn't survive?

Would there be such a difference between financial classes?

What if money didn't exist or better yet lost it's illusion of value?

The more I watch documentaries like "Food Inc." and "Forks over Knives" the more I see again the way we've warped the original plan.

Is cancer a curse from God or a curse from ourselves? Is diabetes a natural part of life or is it another cost of the "cheap" lifestyle we've created for ourselves?

Are these natural disasters signs of "the end times" or are they results from the "convenient" lives we live?

Are Escherichia col, Salmonella, and other foodborne illnesses facts of life or the price we pay for the way we redesign the order of the planet?

Are pills a benefit of progress or a patch for an enormous hole we ourselves have created?

God's laws are good. The planet works in a certain order, a harmony. We can either break our backs fighting against nature in order to "improve" our lives; or we can learn to live with nature taking what the planet has to offer and now what we want.

Sex (I assume) is a very good thing. However in the wrong context and out of the order and harmony of the laws God has set for us and the planet it can be a very bad thing.

Are STDs God's way of punishing us for sinning? Or Are they one of the many reasons God demands we only share ourselves with our spouses?

Sex gives a part of yourself to another person. God doesn't want me to chip piece after piece to many people. Instead in order to fully enjoy the design of the life He has for us it is better and for our own good that we only give ourselves to one person until death.

Emotion,
Work,
Food,
Sex

All of these things are gifts from God.
They can also be curses from humans.

Jesus wants us to be free. The only way to true freedom and harmony is slavery to Messiah. It doesn't make sense to the kingdom of man but the kingdom of man is a broken, painful one. The kingdom of God is a loving peaceful kingdom that demands freedom and equality to all.

Abba, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Help me live in harmony with creation, with Your order.

12/27/12

Why are you more concerned with where you're going than where you are?
Why are you more concerned with what you're going to do than what you're doing?
Why aren't you paying attention to how you live your life right this very moment?
Why are you wasting this moment?
Why, indeed, are you wasting your life?
-Colin Beavan

I have spent this past week in Wauseon. I've found that I lack serious discipline. As soon as I am removed from the schmachelor pad my morning time with you is GONE! My prayer time, my thoughts and mind turning to You...gone.

I've been thinking about when Israel was taken from the promised land, out of their element, out of their routine. True discipline and pursuit of You doesn't depend on location, time, or feelings. I begin to see how fragile my faith is, how much I depend on Your grace for 100% of my salvation.

I keep thinking about once I get back to Columbus.
Once I get to this point or this place or this stage in life.
But that is wasting the gift You have given me of today!

Why do I always do this? No matter how hard I try to not worry about tomorrow I find myself tossing today away and looking ahead. I'm sorry I'm squandering Your gift of the present.

Where I am is the most important place.
What I am doing is the most important task.
This moment is all I have.

You are everywhere and I need You where ever I go.

I'm sorry I've gotten completely out of orbit. I am like a wild dog let off it's leash. I'd like to deceive myself otherwise but it isn't reality.

The reality, the truth of the matter is I am a sinner. I am broken. I turn so quickly from You.

Forgive me Jesus for returning to my vomit, for quitting the race and not enduring. Teach me patience. Teach me character. Teach me self control. Teach me wisdom. Teach me freedom.

I hate being a hypocrite but I can't help realizing how helpless I am about it.

Wash my shame, guilt, and sin from me Please Jesus, wash my feet again. Make me worthy to stand before Abba.

Carolina Tide - John Mark Mcmillan

12/24/12

Well, anyway, I looked up and saw the very last thing I expected: a huge lion coming slowly toward me. And one queer thing was that there was no moon last night, but there was moonlight where the lion was. So it came nearer and nearer. I was terribly afraid of it. You may think that, being a dragon, I could have knocked any lion out easily enough. But it wasn't that kind of fear. I wasn't afraid of it eating me, I was just afraid of it-if you can understand. Well, it came close up to me and looked straight into my eyes. And I shut my eyes tight. But that wasn't any good because it told me to follow it.

And I knew I'd have to do what it told me, so I got up and followed it. And it led me a long way into the mountains. And there was always this moonlight over and round the lion wherever we went. So at last we came to the top of the mountain I'd never seen before and on the top of this mountain there was a garden-trees and fruit and everything. In the middle of it there was a well. I knew it was a well because you could see the water bubbling up from the bottom of it: but it was a lot bigger than most wells-like a very big, round bath with marble steps going down into it. The water was as clear as anything and I thought if I could get in there and bathe it would ease the pain in my leg. But the lion told me I must undress first.
I was just going to say that I couldn't undress because I hadn't any clothes on when I suddenly thought that dragons are snaky sort of things and snakes can cast their skins. Oh, of course, thought I, that's what the lion means. So I started scratching myself and my scales began coming off all over the place. And then I scratched a little deeper and, instead of just scales coming off here and there, my whole skin started peeling off beautifully, like it does after an illness, or as if I was a banana. In a minute or two I just stepped out of it. I could see it lying there beside me, looking rather nasty. It was a most lovely feeling. So I started to go down into the well for my bathe.

But just as I was going to put my feet into the water I looked down and saw that they were all hard and rough and wrinkled and scaly just as they had been before. Oh, that's all right, said I, it only means I have another smaller suit on underneath the first one, and I'll have to get out of it too. So I scratched and tore again and this underskin peeled off beautifully and out I stepped and left it lying beside the other one and went down to the well for my bathe.
Well, exactly the same thing happened again. And I thought to myself, oh dear, how ever many skins have I got to take off? For I was longing to bathe my leg. So I scratched away for the third time and got off a third skin, just like the two others, and stepped out of it. But as soon as I looked at myself in the water I knew it had been no good.

Then the lion said "You will have to let me undress you" I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now. So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it. The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off. You know-if you've ever picked the scab of a sore place. It hurts like billy-oh but it is such fun to see it coming away. Well, he peeled the beastly stuff right off-just as I thought I'd done it myself the other three times, only they hadn't hurt-and there it was lying on the grass: only ever so much thicker, and darker, and more knobbly-looking than the others had been.
And there was I as smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been. Then he caught hold of me-I didn't like that much for I was very tender underneath now that I'd no skin on-and thew me into the water. It smarted like anything but only for a moment. After that it became perfectly delicious and as soon as I started swimming and splashing I found that all the pain had gone from my arm. And then I'd saw why. I'd turned into a boy again.

After a bit the lion took me out and dressed me in new clothes.

-The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Chapter 7



I've been trying to remove my dragon skin sin by my own strength but only You can peel back the sin. Only You can wash me clean.

I doubt You were born anywhere near December 25th but that isn't the point of Christmas. It isn't about being archaeologically correct, although me and the western world would like to be. The point is You came to save us. You clothed yourself in our skin, You came to our level and You washed our sins and healed our sick.

It's crazy to think You were only 8 years older than I am now when You gave up Your life for us. 33, That isn't very old.

Jesus I love who You are. I know I say this all the time but my first idea of God was a harsh distant Father demanding too much and never satisfied with me. But the more I read Your heart. The more I seek, and knock, The more I see that You are love!

Through and through You are love. You love Your children, all of them. The blind, the greedy, the lost, the homeless, the proud, the forgotten, the ugly, the orphan. You seriously love them. You seriously love us.

Even when we've been dragons You still want to see Your children well. You still want to help us remove the sin and wash us clean. Even if we try to do it without You. Your patience, Your grace, Your love. It's too much, but it's who You are.

I find myself beside Peter asking You to wash my whole body. But You have already made us clean we need only our feet washed.

Sitting back and allowing the creator of the universe to wash my feet takes some serious humility and acceptance of grace.

Thank You for Christmas, whenever it was and whatever others call it. Thank You for willingly giving up Your life so that we may have life.

12/22/12

NOOMA You | 015

Today is Brock's wedding. This is my eighth and final wedding for 2012. The year of the weddings is coming to a close.

The Kingdom of Heaven.
It is about serving not ruling.

Who's kingdom do you find more compelling?

Church. This group of people who by their compassion their generosity the grace that they extend to others, you find yourself believing when you're around them that God hasn't given up on the world. That's the gospel.

God wants to put it all back together.

God accepts us just the way we are, but loves us way to much to let us stay that way.

You are the good news, You are the gospel.

I hope that Your love shines through me. I hope I haven't lost my saltiness. Spirit make me salty, let me bring flavor and truth.

12/18/12

"Aslan," said Lucy, "you're bigger."
"That is because you are older, little one," answered he.
"Not because you are?"
"I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger."
-Prince Caspian Chapter 10

God You are big,
You are good

The more and more I grow with You each year the more and more I begin to uncover how big You are.

What am I suppose to do? I always feel so lost, and I never seem to hear Your voice about things I would really like to have answered.

I've heard Christians say God answers prayers in three ways:
Yes
No
Wait
Is that true? In the bible I see You answering prayers in all kinds of ways. Maybe that's just American Christianity.

If that is the case then I seem to be getting all the Nos and Waits.

Maybe my sin is too great, that You won't or can't speak to me?

That never seemed to stop You when You loved the hookers and the tax collectors.

Maybe I have my answer I just don't see it because I don't like it.
Maybe You don't care what I do. Maybe no matter what it'll be great.

Even so, I'd like some confirming support from my Abba.

I don't want to wait forever when You don't care what I choose.
I don't want to act when You had something better if only I waited.

God I know You are big, You see the big picture, You see all time, You are big.
And I know You are good, You want good for me, You know how to give good gifts.

So what do You want me to do? Should I wait, or should I carry on?
If You want me to wait, how long will it be?
If You want me to carry on, What's the next step?

I need more grace to wash my sin, and I need more Spirit to guide my steps.

I hear these stories about other Christians praying and asking for confirmation and pastors randomly walking up to them and completely confirming their prayers. But how many times have I deceived myself with false confirmation? Or how many times have people spoke into my life only to have the door shut?

How do I know when something is from You and when it is from man?

Maybe we'll never know for sure? Maybe everything is from You? You certainly are big enough. If everything is from You then I ask for wisdom to understand how to interpret everything no through my own lens but how You planned it.

Am I over thinking this? Did Abraham ever ask questions like this? Did the first Adam question his call, or purpose?

Maybe the true sign of a relationship with You is complete contempt.
If that's the case I'm not doing a good job. I worry about this sort of thing often.

As I grow weary and impatient, You grow bigger and bigger in my perspective.

What the heck am I suppose to do? Wait, or carry on?

12/15/12

NOOMA Breathe | 014


Wow, Good stuff.

12/12/12

The least the lost the lepers


I miss my brothers and sisters in Zambia.

God is an artist.

Your heart is so full that it must express itself.

We as humans can only express ourselves within the world You have created for us to enjoy.

But You, Abba, are not bound by limitations. When You express Yourself is comes in the form of stars, sunrises, trees, flowers, elephants, whales, ants, mountains, beaches, love and most beautifully, humans.

As You created Your piece of art as You put the finishing touches on it You looked at humans and You said very good.

As I look at my own heart and the hearts of my brothers and sisters I see the many layers of what being made in Your image is all about.

Humans must also express themselves.

Through poems, songs, paintings, sculptures, carpentry, stories, and countless other ways. We've learned to express ourselves with everything You've given us on this Earth even down to using our own bodies to dance and move in an expression.

But the interesting thing to me is why? Why do I feel the need to express myself? More importantly why do I express myself even without an audience?

I sing to myself in the car, I've written in hopes that no one would ever read, I've gotten dressed on a day that I stayed inside. We must express ourselves.

Why do people shout in concerts or sports events? Can their voice be heard? But they must still voice it.

I think You've given us the desire to express ourselves alongside a completely free will so that love may be expressed.

Love cannot be forced, if it is then it becomes self defeating thus it isn't love.

So in the purest form of the expression of love and risk, You let us choose.

Now the question becomes how will I express myself?

God must express love by creating the art of humans. God is love and love loves love.

But love is free, it has to be or else it is no longer love.

so amazingly, You've breathed in us the breath of life and with it the freedom to choose.

This is why you desire to be desired. I've seen this part of your heart most commonly in women. I've heard women say "I want to you to (fill in the blank)" to which a man will reply "ok I will do that" to which the woman will always reply "No I don't want you to do it because I told you to, I want you to do it because you want to."

And thus the exact portion of the image of God in a woman is revealed.

As a man I flip through the bible with the lens "Ok God what does it take to make it in to Heaven? just tell me what I need to do and I will obey"

And time and time again You always respond with "No I don't want you to obey because I told you to, I want you to obey because you want me."

I've seen this in my own life, If I could force someone to love me would I do it? or if the woman I loved told me to simply do and don't do these things and she will be with me by default would I even want that?

I want a woman who wants me. I want a woman who can look me in the eyes and say "I've seen my options, I know I can choose any man I please, but that's exactly what I've done and I choose you"

I think that is why rape is a crime committed mostly by men. Women have the side of God's heart that wants to be captivating. While men have the task oriented part.

Thus sex becomes more of a task to accomplish more than an expression of free will and unconditional love.

Rape is the complete perversion of love. It is the opposite of selfless free will.

If God forced all humans to love Him He would essentially be spiritually raping us. He would get what He wants and at the exact same time get nothing of what He wants.

God wants all of His children, He wants them all to love him as much as He loves them. He went 100% of the way by paying for their sins on order to be with them. But ultimately if God truly is love and love is not self seeking, then all He can do is give his children their inheritance when they ask and stand by the road waiting for his prodigal children.

How painful it must feel to be God. I've loved someone with my tiny human heart only for them to freely not choose me and that feeling in the pit of my stomach, that loss of appetite, those sleepless nights, making every attempt to win them back, and fight for them.

It's enough to make me question why would God even create humans? It most be so painful when even one sheep strays from the flock. But without the choice, without free will, there can be no love.

God must express love by creating the art of humans. God is love and love loves love.

So He took the risk and wrote His love letter to His bride in the bible. But He didn't stop there He showed up to his brides house, served her with every ounce of energy his limited human body could then He freely died for her. But He didn't stop there He gave her His Holy Spirit to be with her always.

But God cannot force love. He wants us to want Him. I can't imagine how terribly Your heart breaks Abba when the creation You love so limitless don't desire You in return.

Jesus, help me desire You. Help me express my love for you freely with the environment You've placed me in with the body You've placed me in.

I want to shout, dance, paint, write, think, tell, sing, work, hear, taste, see, feel, smell, express how much I love You. No matter the circumstance or my lot in life I want a love towards You as sturdy as the rock which You are to me.

I want to walk with God.

Passion Pit - Take a Walk

12/08/12

NOOMA Rich | 013

mitzvot - refers to a moral deed performed as a religious duty. As such, the term mitzvah has also come to express an act of human kindness.

Tiny banal acts of human kindness are what bringing the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth is all about.

It's about a Samaritan man walking down the street and seeing someone in need.
It's about having two shirts and seeing someone without and giving one.
It's about the little things. It's about having God's eyes and trying with every blessing we've been given to dish out mitzvot every chance we get.

Jesus doesn't ask us to start some non-profit. Jesus doesn't ask us to become the founder of (fill in the blank) ministries. Jesus doesn't ask us to write some magnificent book or solve a problem globally.

The Kingdom is all about the banal. Becoming ordinary radicals.

Bringing the Kingdom isn't just for the wealthy, or the educated. In fact I'd say it is for the poor and the uneducated. They are the ones who are more available to stop on the side of the road and help a stranger.

If we get to important, too busy, we become worthless in performing banal mitzvots.

The Kingdom is about treating people the way you'd like to be treated. It's about treating every stranger as if they were your closest sibling,

because they are.

12/02/12

Dear 26 year old Adam,

I've just turned 25. A quarter of a century. My mid twenties. As my 24th year comes to a close and my 25th begins I can't believe how much has changed since I turned 24.

Things I'm doing now:
I'm co leading Good Fellas with Matt. I'm helping out at Better Way on Friday nights. I just finished a quarter of children's ministry with 4 year old kids. I lead a bible study at the juvenile prison every third Thursday of the month. I'm in the teaching rotation for the Monday night service at the pantry. I started my own small group discipleship program on Wednesday nights at the pantry. I'm still doing landscaping for Scott although I'm not sure how many more weeks we have left. I'm completely single without a future wife anywhere near my radar. I'm living with Brian in the Schmachelor pad. I'm working out at Soar four times a week. Tyler got married this September. In fact I went to six wedding this year with Brock's still to come in 20 days. I'm trying to make every purchase with human rights in mind. Fair trade clothes, food, toiletries, trying to shop local every chance I get. I think that's pretty much every important thing I'm doing now that I might forget about in the future.

Things I hope you're doing
I really, really, really hope you are in Tanzania right now. I hope you've spent your entire 25th year in Africa actually. If not then I hope you got hooked up with a WWOOF and have enjoyed working God's earth and soil. If not that then I hope you got a job with the Mid Ohio Food Bank, Franklinton Gardens, or a men's shelter. I hope you spent the summer living in your car down town.

Things I've learned since turning 24
2012 has been a massively educational year for me. It's funny because it's one of the few years of my life I've spent outside of school. I've grown leaps and bounds in my relationship with God. My point of view on God's heart and what the Kingdom on earth should look like has been drastically changing and broadening each month! This was also the year that Whitney got married. God taught me a lot about failure, grief, and just how good They really truly honestly are. I've learned to pick my fights. Which I should stand firm on and which I should turn the other cheek to. I've learned that a low price to me is at the expense of a high price to my brothers and sisters around the world. I've learned that God can take brokenness aside and make it beautiful. In fact I've learned that He loves to do it. I've learned that God can and will redeem! And He can and will set captives free! I've learned what love is and how much I don't understand about it. I've learned that love is about free will on both sides. I've learned how difficult forgiveness can be. I've learned forgiveness is the path to freedom. I've learned that life isn't about getting a well paid job and a pretty wife. I've learned that planning and looking forward to tomorrow costs me today. I've learned I hate money. I've learned you can spend your whole life working for something just to have it taken away. I've learned that we don't get all the answers and we don't get to understand why things happen. I've learned to be content with my lot.

1987 Born
1988 00
1989 01
1990 02
1991 03
1992 04
1993 05
1994 06 Started Grade School
1995 07
1996 08
1997 09
1998 10
1999 11
2000 12
2001 13
2002 14
2003 15
2004 16
2005 17
2006 18 Graduated High School
2007 19
2008 20
2009 21
2010 22 Graduated College
2011 23
2012 24

12/01/12

NOOMA Matthew | 012

For the tawny face was bent down near his own and (wonder of wonders) great shining tears stood in the Lion's eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory's own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself.
-The Magician's Nephew, Chapter 12

God sits shiva with us.

I've never lost a sibling, a grandparent, a parent, a cousin, an aunt, an uncle, a close friend. I haven't experienced the grief of losing a loved one to dead.

The closest time I've ever had was almost a year ago. And during that time I experienced sitting shiva.

Life is not about what we don't have, what we've lost. It's about what we do have.

Death is a strange part of life. Once someone is dead (with the exception of miracles) they are not coming back. To have someone here one second and gone the next. All the things left undone. All the memories and experiences. Death is so final. Or at least it seems that way on this Earth.

I really love who You are God. I love Your love. I love the way You sit with us during grief. I love the way You let us wrestle. And at the end of the day I love Your grace. As You allow me to wrestling, sin, fail, You have new mercies for me everyday.

No matter what happens in this life, You will restore. We shall overcome.

You have allowed me to suffer much hardship,
but you will restore me to life again
and lift me up from the depths of the earth.
You will restore me to even greater honor
and comfort me once again.
-Psalm 71

11/24/12

NOOMA Rhythm | 011

You aren't a genie, You aren't the white bearded wizard behind the curtain pulling the parking lot lever or the shopping sale lever. You are so much more than that.

As I'm going through and reading my journal from December of 2008 I constantly cringe at my past thoughts and actions. It's embarrassing to see my perspective of who You are and what your followers should look like.

Life is more than marriage. Love is more than eros.

Both Jimmy and her are married to other people now but how selfish of me?

And to consider my view of who God is and how God works is so biased. To think because I wormed my way back into her life and caused her to break up with him that God was "with me" and "for us" it makes me cringe and embarrassed for who I was.

And yet I wouldn't change a thing.

Who we were always leads to who we are.

That was four years ago so my journey with You was four years younger. As I continue to seek and search for Your heart my own is transformed as I attempt to live in rhythm with You.

The past cannot be changed. Did David blot out the parts of the bible where he sinned? The parts he isn't proud of and embarrassed about? No, our walks with God are rough and full of stumbles, scraps, scars, but it's beautiful. It's beautiful to see God take brokenness aside and make it beautiful. The point of the bible and even the point of my past isn't about how we sheep are great followers, but rather how the Shepard is a magnificent leader.

I have such a terrible memory so a lot of this stuff I've long forgotten. But I do remember my view of what a Christian should be as these entries have refreshed my memory. I use to view a christian as this suffering self sacrificial solemn soul. If I was joyous or finding pleasure in creation then I was being selfish and sinful. It's sad to think that not only did I use to see Christianity like that but that many still do. But I have faith in You. I believe that if You can change my perspective of Christianity then You can change the rest of my brothers and sisters as well.

Life is a song. It's been playing since the beginning of the world. Now it's our time to play our verse. Will it be in tune and be an beautiful addition to the song? Or will it be flat, out of place, unoriginal?

You are not a genie or a wizard. You are the Father.

11/21/12

I just got home to the beautiful city of Wauseon. It's 11:00pm and no one in my house is awake.

As I was digging around the basement I found my Journal from four years ago.

I think I'm going to type it out on here. It'll be interesting to see who I as four years ago. I can already remember some of the things and I can gladly say I am not who I was in 2008/2009.

Makes me wonder what I will think of these entries in 2016/2017. Will I be different? Will I be glad I'm different?

11/18/12

NOOMA Lump | 010


You know that moment when your junk catches up to you? It's like maybe not that day, maybe not the next day, maybe not for a while, but given enough time it always finds us.

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-Romans 8

I am a great sinner. I am a failure. I am a sinner on a magnificent scale. But no matter how grand my sin Your love is more.

Guilt, Shame, Fear, Death, Worry, nothing can separate.

I am set free.

11/10/12

NOOMA Bullhorn | 009


Today is Matt and Heather's wedding.

Jesus never went up to a "sinner" and said woe to you! To the sinners You said come follow me I will give you rest. My yoke is easy my burden is light. You came to save the world not condemn it.

But to those who think they are righteous. Those people who think they are invaluable to You the religious ones who think they have something that no one else can have.

Woe to You who:

They taught about God but did not love God — they did not enter the kingdom of heaven themselves, nor did they let others enter.

They preached God but converted people to dead religion, thus making those converts twice as much sons of hell as they themselves were.

They taught that an oath sworn by the temple or altar was not binding, but that if sworn by the gold ornamentation of the temple, or by a sacrificial gift on the altar, it was binding. The gold and gifts, however, were not sacred in themselves as the temple and altar were, but derived a measure of lesser sacredness by being connected to the temple or altar. The teachers and Pharisees worshiped at the temple and offered sacrifices at the altar because they knew that the temple and altar were sacred. How then could they deny oath-binding value to what was truly sacred and accord it to objects of trivial and derived sacredness?

They taught the law but did not practice some of the most important parts of the law — justice, mercy, faithfulness to God. They obeyed the minutiae of the law such as tithing spices but not the real meat of the law.

They presented an appearance of being 'clean' (self-restrained, not involved in carnal matters), yet they were dirty inside: they seethed with hidden worldly desires, carnality. They were full of greed and self-indulgence.

They exhibited themselves as righteous on account of being scrupulous keepers of the law, but were in fact not righteous: their mask of righteousness hid a secret inner world of ungodly thoughts and feelings. They were full of wickedness. They were like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside, but full of dead men's bones.

They professed a high regard for the dead prophets of old, and claimed that they would never have persecuted and murdered prophets, when in fact they were cut from the same cloth as the persecutors and murderers: they too had murderous blood in their veins.

-Matthew 23

Woe to you bullhorn guy.

It isn't the people who admit and acknowledge their sin that Jesus warns about Hell. It's the people who refuse to acknowledge and would rather appear in front of humans as righteous.

I think we are called to preach to the person, preach to the culture. In Jesus' time the self proclaimed righteous thought they were completely safe because they were descendants of Abraham. So Jesus preached a wake up call to them.

Then when he came upon a broken sinner with no hope he preached to them the free gift of a place in the Kingdom of God.

My culture today gags at the word Christian. They cringe at the sound of "religion" despite whether Hell exists or not I doubt Jesus would hammer Hell to this culture in America. Rather I think he would love us as we are but love us too much to let us stay that way. He would accept the sinners, the gays, the atheists so warmly that it would bring anger and rage from the American churches. I think if Jesus came now it would look EXACTLY like it did 2000 years ago.

Love Wins.

11/03/12

NOOMA Dust | 008


Back in the day disciples applied to follow rabbis. They did this so that the rabbi could never be turned down, they could never be disgraced or humiliated by getting turned out.

But You put Yourself out there Jesus. You asked Your disciples to follow You, knowing the risk of being turned down. You loved us first. You humbled Yourself for our sake.

Who does Pete doubt? Jesus isn't the one sinking. He doubts himself. He doesn't believe he can do what Jesus does.

All my life I've heard people talk about believing in God, but God believes in us.

What kind of God seeks out Their creation? What kind of God humbles Themselve to die a disgraceful death for Their creation?

Who is like the Lord?

Jesus I am a sinner. I don't desire You with all my heart soul strength mind and might. I rebel against You daily. I mean it, I have no right to be picked by You I have no right to lead any men. I am a sinner if it's not one thing it's another. I am a mess.

But You believe in me. You know me, You've searched my heart. You know how filthy it is and You still choose me, You still believe in me.

Jesus I want to repent and I want to sin.

Change my desires, give me an undivided heart.

10/29/12

"You mean," said Lucy rather faintly, "that it would have turned out all right-somehow? But how? Please, Aslan! Am I not to know?"
"To know what would have happened, child?" said Aslan. "No. Nobody is ever told that."
-Prince Caspian Chapter 10

What if I wouldn't have gone to community college for 2 years?
What if I wouldn't have gone to Ohio State for 2 years?
What if I wouldn't have worked at the law firm?
What if I wouldn't have quit the firm?

Who would I be if I didn't do things I did and did things I didn't do?

It is not for us to know.

Still it is rather interesting. Who I am is determined on my environment. All things equal if I'd been born in N'Dola Zambia I would be a different person. My character would not be the same. All things equal if I'd been born in 1887 I would be a different person.

Who are we Abba?

Are we our actions?
Are we our soil?
Are we our culture?

If placed under different circumstances would we become different men?

I suppose this sort of thought process is futile.

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon. That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?
-Matthew 6:24

I am set free from worry by Jesus. I am set free from the what ifs.

This Colorful World - Eliot Morris

10/27/12

NOOMA Luggage | 007


I don't want what someone else did to me to determine what my life is going to be like.

Whatever wrong was done to any of us God saw it, it's like God was right there.

Revenge is like saying to God, I don't trust You.

Revenge doesn't satisfy it doesn't work.

Forgiving isn't always forgetting. Sometimes forgiving is remembering.

To forgive is to wish them well.

When I forgive and let them off the hook I'm really letting myself off the hook.

Jesus, You came to proclaim freedom to the captives. Freedom from every type of slavery. Freedom for those who have been held captive by their own pride. Their own unforgiveness, their own bitterness, their wounds. I can't control anything except myself. I can't prevent pain. But I can forgive it. Accept it. Set it down, let it go, walk on this earth free of burdens and grudges.

"Child," said the Voice, "I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own."
-The Horse and His Boy Chapter 11

"As for you, follow me."
-Jesus

I can't control if someone is going to betray me or not. I can't prevent someone from wounding me. But I can follow You. Abba You tell no one any story but his own. Whatever wrong was done to any of us God saw it, it's like God was right there. I trust Your judgement Jesus. I put my case in Your hands. I don't want what someone else did to me to determine what my life is going to be like. I want to let myself off the hook. I want to be set free!

Jesus set me free from my captivity.

I willingly believe that the damned are, in one sense, successful, rebels to the end; that the doors of hell are locked on the inside. I do not mean that the ghosts may not wish to come out of hell, in the vague fashion wherein an envious man "wishes" to be happy: but they certainly do not will even the first preliminary stages of that self-abandonment through which alone the soul can reach any good. They enjoy forever the horrible freedom they have demanded, and are therefore self-enslaved.
- C. S. Lewis

Jesus, You hang there on the cross beckoning freedom and yet we still wish to remain in our own hell. The doors of hell are locked on the inside.

I choose freedom. Help me choose freedom.

10/23/12

Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
-Psalm 86

Love must be Genuine.

Genuine Love is Marked by
Obeying God's commands
Relating like family
Showing honor
God's energizing power

You demand love and make it the priority command because without love everything is worthless. Love is everything.

I want to choose Your way over any other. I want to sincerely pick You. The more I think about what I want in a wife, if I get married, the more I've been thinking about Your heart. I believe the most attractive feature to a woman is faithfulness. Choosing me freely over all others. Not because of my looks, my humor, my things, my persuasion, but rather saying to me I pick you over all the others because I want to be with you and when I'm with you there isn't any other place I'd rather be.

Is that not the same way You feel towards us, Your Children? What is genuine love? Is it based on my understanding of You? Is it based on any conditions at all whatsoever? No. Genuine love is saying to someone I pick You because.

Abba I want to pick You. Give me an undivided heart.

10/20/12

NOOMA Kickball | 006


But I want one
But I need it
I thought You said You loved me

Our perspective is limited. There are things that I don't see that You see. What if we got everything we asked for right when we asked for it?

Would I be happy? Or would I be chasing the wind?

How long till You see that there is a bigger perspective here? You Abba don't live within time. You see the end from the beginning.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
-Jeremiah 29

Do I believe that God is good? Deep in my bones what do I really believe You are like?

May I believe that God is good and that across the street He has something better.

I ask for joy and contentment in all circumstances. Give me Your perspective Jesus.

10/17/12

"I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."
"Then it was you who wounded Aravis?"
"It was I."
"But what for?"
"Child," said the Voice, "I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own."
-The Horse and His Boy Chapter 11

Abba You are always with us.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
-Romans 8

This life doesn't always make sense. We can only see from our own perspective. But I do know that You cause everything to work together for the good of Your children. No matter what I get myself into or what this world throws at me I know that You are with me always.
And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
-Jesus
Most of life doesn't make sense and I usually spend most of my energy trying to guess and predict why You did things and how they will work out. But that isn't how I am suppose to live. I am suppose to come to You every morning with an empty stomach and faith that there will be manna on the ground. I am suppose to step out of the boat and into the water amidst a storm and know that I will be able to stand firm. My mind instantly tries to find reason and purpose in every situation.
"Oh this must be for my discipline"
"Oh this must be a blessing"
"Oh this must be a sign"
"Oh this must be what You want me to do"
But that isn't how life works. That isn't the kind of God You are. Sometimes stuff happens in this life and that's it. As far as my perspective goes. Sometimes You take stuff away and I will never know why. Sometimes You give me things and I never know why. Sometimes pain strikes without purpose or reason from my perspective.

The Purpose of my life isn't to spend it finding purpose. It is to worship You, period. So Jesus, This morning I thank You for another day. I ask for my daily bread. I ask that You forgive me my sins and change me to forgive my offenders. All glory, all honor, all praise to You. Please let Your Kingdom come!

and i ached for my heart like some tin man

The Stable Song - Gregory Alan Isakov

10/13/12

NOOMA Noise | 005


When I was in Africa in the middle of the bush, in the midst of the crocodiles, elephants, hippopotamuses, cape buffalo, warthogs, baboons, kudu, impala, darter, and all the other creations I couldn't identify, the one thing that I really noticed was how unbelievably peaceful it was. It was completely silent. All of these creatures existing with each other without having to say anything to one another.

It made me realize whether I was there or not didn't matter they were just living their lives so beautifully with or without an audience. With every breath, step, blink, bite, they were all glorifying You Jesus. It was like watching a piece of Your original artwork unmodified by humans.

Your sun beaming through Your perfect blue sky falling on Your creation both the animals and the plants. All of them existing perfectly without the help of humans. It made me think about what Your original plan was for the earth. Did You plan on skyscrapers? Did You plan on cars? paved roads, dams, or sewers? The earth, Your creation is completely sustainable without any help from any person. If only we could live with creation and not against it.

It's hard to imagine before all of the luxuries and technologies of today how quite this entire planet would have been. How easily Your voice could have been heard. How we wouldn't be able to hide from You behind media and entertainment. We would simply be in Your creation working Your land peacefully quietly listening to You and Your artwork.

The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.
-Genesis 18

Was it three men or one God?

Anyway, I wonder how peaceful Abraham's tent was. How peaceful that oak grove must have felt. Not a lot of humans on the planet at this time. Simply Abraham, Sarah, their servants, and their livestock. No engines, no motors, no machines, just creation.

Jesus I long to spend time in Your peace. I desire Your will and voice for my life. Help me become more available. Help me spend more time listening for You than worrying.

10/11/12

Last month when I was at the prison talking with two of the men we read out of Psalm 147 and when we got to verse 11 they stopped and asked "why do we have to fear God? How can God be love if we fear Him?"

So I began to show them the heart of God full of forgiveness, grace, mercy, and love. So I told them the story of the prodigal son:

A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. He ran to his son,

Wright, one of the boys in the bible study, interjected and asked, "To beat him?"
my heart sank into my shoes. What sort of model is he basing his idea of God from? Had he ever had one person in his life truly love him? Was his only lens for fathers that of discipline, distance, and anger? I quickly responded no Wright and finished the story.

filled with love and compassion, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

It reminded me of the time I was in Lifeway reading the Max Lucado books. If only my brothers knew who You really are Jesus. How You really feel towards them. I can't imagine the life that Wright has lived leading up to where he is now and I hardly have any right to speak to them about forgiveness and turning the other cheek in a situation where showing weakness leads to broken jaws and bones. But I trust in Your word and I know Your way is the only way to bring the Kingdom.

Abba this world is so broken, I ask that You'd shine Your light in the darkness we have created.

10/08/12

Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
-Matthew 6

Instead Of A Show - Jon Foreman

10/06/12

NOOMA Sunday | 004


How do I know I actually love You Jesus and not just "doing religion?"

Why Does God Make Love the Priority Command?

Love motivates obedience.
Love motivates perseverance.
Love provides protection.
Love for God empowers love for others.

Identifying True Love

Does God regularly circulate into my thoughts (Ps. 63:6)?
Am I often drawn to spend time with Him (Ps. 27:4)?
Does my life demonstrate a love for God (Rom. 5:8)?
Do I often enjoy God (Ps. 16:11)?
Do I ultimately find relief or satisfaction in obedience (John 14:21)?

-Breaking Free by Beth Moore - Session Nine

You demand love and make it the priority command because without love everything is worthless. Love is everything.

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
-Paul

Does my life demonstrate a love for God?

“A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
-Jesus

Does my life bear fruit or am I just taking up space? I want my sacrifices to mean something to You. I want my praise to mean something to You. I want my flowers to come out of the overflow of my heart not of duty.

Yet, time and time again I find myself swallowed in my sin. I trip before I can even start to run the race. I know how to look like a fig tree but do I actually grow figs? Am I just being seen by the right people and doing the right rituals? I want to live for You in secret. I want to live like no one is watching and yet my life is still for You. Every action is pleasing to You and it comes from a place in my heart of joy, delight, and satisfaction.

Wash me of yesterday's sins. Pick me up and dust me off yet again. Today is a new sun rise and today I will live for You. I have been dusted off so many times by You. I am a helpless sinner but I ask that You would find new mercy for me today. That Your patience wouldn't run out. Give me one more chance. Leave me another year. I don't want to just take up space in Your garden.

10/02/12

People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time. If the children had ever thought so, they were cured of it now. For when they tried to look at Aslan's face they just caught a glimpse of the golden mane and the great, royal, solemn, overwhelming eyes; and then they found they couldn't look at him and went all trembly.
-The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Chapter 12

We are told that You are love. We are told to fear You. How can both of these things be possible? Perfect love casts out all fear but yet perfect love is something to be feared itself.

Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.
-Psalm 2:11

I must serve You Abba with reverent fear. But my heart must also be in my actions. For without Love it is all meaningless.

I must rejoice with trembling? Who is like the Lord?

Jesus You are love and You are peace in it's purest form. But You are also Holy unlike anything I can describe and You are entirely awesome. You are both good and terrible at the same time. You are unlike anything.

Father I love You and I can tell you anything and I can come to You any time but You are more than that. You demand respect. Dad is kind and warm hearted but no one messes with dad.

You are both good and terrible. You don't fit into any of the boxes our minds have. You are not a contradiction but rather a big God.

It's difficult to not take You too far in one direction. Sometimes I want You to be my buddy who only loves, allows, and permits but that isn't all of You. Other times I think You are stern, harsh, and disciplinary but that isn't all of You either. You are both. There is a season for everything. A time for gentleness and a time for discipline.

You are ancient. You have always been. Everything in America isn't even 300 years old nothing on earth is anywhere near as old and ancient as You. It's strange to think about. Every building or road or man made structure I've seen in America isn't even 1,000 years old. Not even close. And Jesus only walked the earth 2,000 years ago not to mention the entire time lapse of the OT.

We look with awe in museums at ancient things. We are filled with wonder and mystery as our minds race about what it must have been like in that time. But You are older still. You have always been. You are the God of Adam. You are the God before Adam.

I was thinking about what it would feel like to approach You, considering how ancient You are. Considering Your wisdom and experience. Your holiness and righteousness. I think about how I would feel if I met the pope. Then I consider that he hasn't even been around for 100 years, and he is only a sinful man no better or worse than me yet my heart would still race and I would consider it a terrible experience.

How much more would my encounter with You be? You aren't even comparable to the pope. Who is the pope? Just a man with faults flaws and limits much like myself. But You are faultless, flawless and limitless. Nothing compares to You.

This weekend during the wedding I thought about what the wedding ceremony will be like in the Kingdom of God. How much more glorious it will be. How incomparable to any wedding or any ceremony we have on this earth.

God You are Holy, You are ancient, You are good, You are terrible, and I don't understand any of it.

09/29/12

NOOMA Trees | 003


Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

The kingdom of God is banal.

It is through the banality of goodness that we start to see the kingdom of God break through in this life. Tiny everyday choices sprout trees in the new Jerusalem.

We live in the 'now and not yet' of the kingdom. We live between the trees but more specifically we live between the cross and the coming.

It is finished, You defeated death but the battles aren't over yet.

on April 9th 1865 Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House Virginia ending the civil war in America. However news had not reached the entire country that the war was over. The battle of Fort Blakely occurred six hours after the surrender. In fact even though the war was over battles continued for over a month even in to June of 1865. This battles and the lives that were lost were part of the 'now and not yet' of the end of the civil war.

Even though the war was over now. The armies had not yet stopped fighting.

Even today, Jesus, You have defeated death. You took it's sting, but yet we still see pain and suffering in this world everywhere. The war is over but there are battles continuing.

Give us peace today. Give us Love today. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

As we forgive those who sin against us we plant a sprout, we continue the banality of goodness.

Today is my brother's wedding.

It's strange to think about. I've known my brother since he was 34 months old. Now he's 27 years old with a house a wife (in a few hours) and someday there will be children. It doesn't seem all that long ago he and I were fighting over toys in the basement of our parents house.

Abba this life is a blip on the radar.

This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time.

Jesus I pray that You would bless this marriage. That today as these two become one flesh in a covenant with You that You would give them a firm foundation and strong deep roots to help them run the marathon of marriage till death do them part. Jesus I pray that You be with them during their first fight, during the difficulties of dieing to themselves, help them serve and submit to one another. be with them through illnesses, through family troubles, through unknown futures, through risks, Jesus I thank You for marriage and I ask that You walk with them each day as the sun rises on their marriage. I ask that You bless them and shape them into the spouses You desire them to be for Your son Tyler and Your daughter Brittany.

09/27/12

You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.
-1 Corinthians 10:23-24

Thank You Lord that I am free to do anything. "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it." (Psalm 24:1)

Thank You Abba for new wine and new wineskins. But because the old covenant law has been fulfilled does that mean I am allowed to do anything?

I believe the answer is both yes and no.

Yes I am allowed to do anything, but not everything is good.
Yes I am allowed to do anything, but not everything is beneficial.

Jesus You have bought and paid for me at a high price. Thus I am Yours. I want to live for You and You alone.

I no longer live my life for my own good but rather for the good of others.

So the new question isn't "am I allowed to do this?" but "Does this glorify God?"

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
-Philippians 2:3

The new question is, "am I doing this out of selfish ambition?"

The new covenant is the law of love. "Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged." (1 Corinthians 13)

Love does not demand its own way. Love is selfless. Love puts others before itself.

Yes I can do whatever I want to do everything is permissible. I ask that You Jesus would make my wants and desires loving You with everything I've got, and loving my brothers and sisters as myself.

Home - Phillip Phillips

09/24/12

a partnership for zambia


When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
-Mark 2:17

Last night as I sat in the E.R. with Cynthia and Metal head waiting for the test results I read her Deuteronomy 31:6

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

You will neither fail us nor abandon us. How do we keep going in this world FILLED with pain and brokenness? Because I trust Your word Jesus. Because it HAS to be true! I cling to Your promise. I have faith that You can, want, and will save us. Because I know You see and love my brothers and sisters struggling with chemical addictions living on the land. Because I know You see and love my brothers and sisters in Zambia dieing of HIV, malaria, and starvation.

You have to save us! You are our one and only hope! I believe You when You say to come and have rest. I trust in You Jesus.

I trust that when Cynthia breathes her last breath in this life that she will receive rest. Rest from abusive boyfriends, negligent parents, custody battles, alcohol, and physical pain. And not just for Cynthia but for all of the meek, for all of the hurting.

for all those who know they are sinners, for the sick, for those who NEED a savior.

You came to save those who are hopelessly in need of a savior. And I KNOW You WILL save us.

Come To Save Us - All Sons & Daughters

09/22/12

NOOMA Flame | 002


Love
רַעְיַת rayah - a companion, darling
אַהֲבָה ahabah - love
דּוֹד dod - beloved, love

That stuff's great and all but what about being single? The purpose of life isn't marriage. The only use of love isn't marriage.

The purpose of life is to glorify, and be satisfied in, God.

Sometimes I think my brothers and sisters in You put too much emphasis on marriage. I'll admit I struggle with it to. But there is something about every time I tell someone I'm single they always tell me:
"You'll find the right one"
"She's out there somewhere"
"Just have to wait for her to come along"
Why don't people ever say things like:
"it’s better to stay unmarried"
"An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work"
"If you do not have a wife, do not seek to get married"
these were the very words of Paul on the topic of marriage. Yet somewhere along the road of Christianity the perspective has changed. Obviously in more than this but I won't go into all the ways we've jacked up Christianity over the last 2,000 years.

The church seems to focus on the "nuclear family" and marriage. If you're single in the church then we can help "fix" that. Christian dating sites, Christian blind dates, Christian singles gathers at churches.

Why? Why can't marriage and single lives be held on equal plane?

I thought about this with you in January. But that sort of talk was more out of a heart of bitterness and pain. As I revisit the issue I find that we as followers of You should be content in all situations.

There isn't anything wrong with marriage.
And equally there isn't anything wrong with being single.

Love towards a spouse is a very beautiful thing. But Love towards You is complete.

09/18/12

It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.
-Philippians 1:15-18

Jesus we, Your wife, are such a mess. We split, we argue, we ignore, we gossip, we fail. How do we stay on the narrow path?

Which "church" do you go to?

I'm constantly asked that question. What does it matter?

Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”
Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
-John 21

If I worship You the way my heart feels closest to You what is that to them? What does it matter what denomination I am. What does it matter what church I attend?

"As for you, follow me."

Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. Then he said to them,
“Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”
John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.” But Jesus said,
“Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”
-Luke 9

It isn't about who is the greatest. It isn't about which denomination is "right." It isn't about comparing and competition and becoming uniform. But You are a big God Abba! The message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice.


Farther Along - Josh Garrels

09/15/12

NOOMA Rain | 001


"But please, please-won't you-can't you give me something that will cure Mother?" Up till then he had been looking at the Lion's great feet and the huge claws on them; now, in his despair, he looked up at its face. What he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life. For the tawny face was bent down near his own and (wonder of wonders) great shining tears stood in the Lion's eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory's own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself.
-The Magician's Nephew, Chapter 12

It is unimaginable how much Your heart breaks every second of every day across this world. Even when I lay my head down to rest there are brothers and sisters on the other side of the world awake and in pain. Even before I took my first breath on this planet Your children who stood before me hurt.

As I write this someone loses a mother, loses a son, and You feel their suffering sevenfold.

Love is a risk.

But it's worth it. Love is worth the risk. It's worth the pain, the storms, the rain.

Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.
-Jesus

Though the rain comes, when the rains and floods come. In this life there will always be storms.

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.
-Jesus

I will have many trials and sorrows. Rain is a guarantee in this life. But without rain there can be no growth. Without rain there is no harvest. It is in the valleys that the fruit grows not on the desolate mountain tops.

Dad knows the way home. Abba knows the way.

09/11/12

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
-Jesus

Do my actions define who I am?

Are people defined by their soil?

Is our salvation based on mere chance depending on the toss of the seed?

Footpath.
Rocky Soil.
Thorns.
Good Soil.

Abba sometimes I feel as if I have been scattered across all four of the terrains listed.

I feel as if I don't understand the Kingdom completely. I've denied You in seasons of problems, persecution and pain. I worry about life all too often and wealth is such a strong temptation for me.

The good soil is represented by a wonderful harvest. Our faith is confirmed by deeds.

What does it mean, Jesus, to "truly hear and understand God's word"?

I suppose it means that we DO something. Produce fruit. Produce a harvest. DO something.

No matter what soil I was first tossed to I will not relent. I will not cease seeking Your face Jesus. Yes Lord I have shown signs of all three of the bad soils but I know Your faithfulness is greater than my sin. I trust that You can still save me. And I trust that You will.

If we are unfaithful,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny who he is.
-2 Timothy 2:13

Your character is faithfulness and unconditional love. I cling to Your promise. I hope in Your salvation.

If you are not doing the task that is closest to you now, which God has engineered into your life, when the crisis comes, instead of being fit for battle, you will be revealed as being unfit. Crises always reveal a person's true character...If you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions, when you get involved in God's work, you will not only be useless yourself but also a hindrance to those around you. God's training ground, where the missionary weapons are found, is the hidden, personal worshiping life of the saint...Do You find yourself responding by saying, "Oh, I will do all that once I'm out on the mission field"? Talking in this way is like trying to produce the weapons of war while in the trenches of the battlefield-you will be killed while trying to do it.
-Oswald Chambers

Crises always reveals a person's true character.
teach me unconditional love and faithfulness towards You as You give and take away.

God's training ground is the hidden personal worshiping life of the saint.
Help me live for You and You alone. Would I act and do the things I do if I was always forgotten on earth?

Abba, the farmer, toss me onto some good soil.

My Love Goes Free - Jon Foreman

09/09/12

Now that I've listened to the entire teaching I see that Jim's point is more focused
on when the author of Hebrews uses the word "the law" Jim is saying that within the
context of this letter "the law" simply means one specific section of God's Law.
So I wanted to see if the author indeed meant one specific law.

The actual Greek work the author uses is the word νόμος so I wanted to see if this word was used in any other contexts throughout the new testament.

νόμος is used 34 times in the new testament.

Matthew
01) Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
02) For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time.
03) The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.

Luke
04) Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.

John
05) For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.
06) For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath?
07) "Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked.

Romans
08) Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it.
09) Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.
10&11) For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
12) God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.
13) Now, dear brothers and sisters—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living?
14&15) Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”
16) But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.
17) So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.
18) And because you belong to him, the law of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the law of sin that leads to death.

1 Corinthians
19) Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing?
20) Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says.
21) For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.

Galatians
22) This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”
23) This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise.
24) Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people.
25&26) Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it.
27) Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.
28) For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
29) gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

1 Timothy
30) We know that the law is good when used correctly.
31) For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders.

Hebrews
32) For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
33) The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.
34) The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship.

It seems like every time the word νόμος is used it refers to the entire law of Moses. There isn't away to tell if the author meant one specific law or the entire old wineskins. Jim talks about America's law system and how if we swear a new president in to office it doesn't neglect the rest of the laws of America. He also talks about changing a speed limit. I have no idea how those sorts of examples have any comparison to the νόμος. Your ways are higher than our ways.

Because America's law system is like that does not mean Your system is anything like that. It seems like a very weak argument. I feel as if Jim is grasping at straws. It's awesome that he has a passion for truth but He hasn't fully experienced Your grace.

Jesus when you told the parable of the prodigal father Did the son keep any of his father's laws? Did the son do anything pleasing and honoring to the father? He simply came broken and sinful in need of a savior, a doctor. And thus the Father ran to him though grace and unconditional love.

Jesus when you forgave the thief on the cross Did he keep any of the law of Moses? Did he do anything obedient to You? He simply came desperate and hopeless in need of a savior, a love without strings attached.

Jesus when you forgave the disgusting whore Did she earn Your forgiveness did she first make herself ceremonially clean? She crawled to You she pursued through the embarrassment, through the shame, through the sin and she clung to her savior. Through that faith she was set free from her past.

Your love isn't fair it isn't just. You can't just let sinners and sluts into the Holiest of Holies! We must have to do something! We must make ourselves clean or follow some sort of requirements or restrictions right?

Jesus You paid it all. Your love has no conditions no requirements no limits. Jim needs to stop and simply rest in your presence and feel worthless feel useless feel Your grace. We can't do anything and it isn't fair it isn't just. But praise be to You that Jim isn't the judge. He isn't the one who determines what is fair or what it takes to be with You.

Your grace is so difficult to comprehend. When I stop to think of the sins of the Murderer Saul turned apostle Paul or the adulterer, murderer, thief, petty, failure David and I see Your love for them my heart turns violently inside of my chest and I realize that it is through You and You alone that I am clean, loveable, acceptable, nothing else, nothing more.

..Wow, what the heck Abba? What can I say? What can I do?