Jesus for President

I know nothing about copyright and what images I can legally copy... 

but I'm attempting to be legit by posting where this image came from.

 http://timoberg.com/category/graphics-animation/ 

Despite all the Christmas cheer going around... a mere 2 days after Thanksgiving i might add. God didn't hesitate to put a substantial dose of clarity inducing conviction on my heart today.

It's those moments where I can see what He wants and then, rather than submitting, I "decide" what to do with that information. It is in that very instant that I check too see how it lines up with what I want, that I have begun worshiping something other than God. It should come as no surprise to you if you're actually following this blog that this divine creature of worship is indeed myself. But here's the point: Even if I choose to comply with His will, I am only being led by myself. I weigh God's word, how much I trust Him, conclude that He's a decent bet and then I make the judgement that He is worthy of listening to... this time. That's not worship, it's vague sense of regard at best!

Pastor Bill Clem made this clear to me today when he pointed out that we, as American's, have an aversion to kingly rule built right into the very foundation of this nation. We feel the right to choose our president and do not resign to being ruled by anyone until we have chosen to do so. And even then, we reserve the right to reject them and bring in another, more suited, ruler of our choosing. In fact, he pointed, we would likely be much happier with Jesus if we could elect Him as God as opposed to being subjected to him as King. And the truth is, this is exactly what many people do with God. They (the royal they that is) accept God as king when times are good and then reject him for another idol the moment that His "good" doesn't match their interpretation of it. The fact is, Jesus already is the King and always will be. The only question is, will I accept his gift of love and mercy and follow him or will I (attempt to) stand in defiance of him?

One Chocolate Square Closer to Holyness

photo © 2005 Elaine Ashton | more info (via: Wylio)

Today marks the beginning of Advent. This is the season where children eagerly anticipate the daily celebration of opening another square on their Santa endowed calender of chocolates (more reminiscent to a cheap cup of instant  coco mixed with cold water and left out to dry into a plactic like wafer). It's also the season where those of us who love Jesus begin building the anticipation for the greatest celebration of the year. The day that God was born human. It's amazing, it's humbling, it's cause for celebration, it... feels too early to be singing Christmas carols.

All the same, I am excited to be celebrating advent. I am excited to go into this holiday season working towards making this a lesson in rejoicing the greatest gift of all rather than a practice in self-gratification. I'm praying for a generous and motivated heart, that is committed to good works for the many many people in need. For works borne out of a love for Jesus and an appreciation for the gift of grace that He has shown me. I'm hopeful that a weekly reminder of that gift via MH Ballards advent mini-series and a daily devotional that I signed up for will help me along the way.

Putting Sin to Death

photo © 2008 Rob Hogeslag | more info (via: Wylio)


Alright, I'm pressed for time but wanted to get this thought down before it passes. Please excuse the lack of references.

In short, this is it: Jesus put sin to death but doesn't mean we don't have to fight it.

As of today, and I'm sure God is not done growing my understanding of this text, I understand this to mean that sin no longer has a hold over us and we now have the supernatural power though the Holy Spirit to endure that burden of resisting the temptation too sin. This requires effort on our part which is not the same thing as works. It is not religiousness to actively pursue spiritual disciplines. Making time to read the bible, pray, be in community, attend church, confession, repentance, service, giving, etc are not works in and of themselves, they are a battle against sin and my minimal contribution in putting that sin to death.

When God says that he has put our sins to death it means that he will help us to name them, and them equip us with the faith, endurance, and passion to defeat them. It does not mean we get to pronounce our love for him and then step out of the way so that he can clean up our mess.

This was only further ingrained in me in my reading plan today when I stumbled across Hebrews 2:18:

"For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." 

It's right there in plain (translated) english that Jesus himself suffered when tempted. It wasn't easy for him to resist temptation. His being GOD didn't just make temptation pass him over unscathed. No, he suffered as he resisted temptation and he came out on the otherside having resisted that temptation. More importantly, now that he has done it, he helps us. Yes, at times that is by taking temptations away all together, but more times than not, it's by helping us suffer through the temptations of our flesh.

Here's the thing, ever since I've given my life to Christ, my prayers have largely been in acknowledging the sin in my life, thanking Jesus for putting sin to death and it no longer having a hold over me (ref needed). And then sitting back and waiting for Him to take care of it. The thing is, putting sin to death requires action on our part. It is a war and there will be suffering and loss as a result. God died for our sins so that we don't have to. But does not mean that we are relieved of understanding the burden and the weight of what He did.

Prayer for Strength in Love

"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love."
- 1 Corinthians 16: 13-14


I won't go into the details of the particular challenge I've been facing the last few days, but let's just say that I'm experiencing first hand how being sinned against has the very specific outcome of either leading us to opening a foothold of anger in resentment in our life that Satan can latch on to, or pushing a closer in to the Lord. I'm afraid that I have done both in the last few days and as a result I have been repeating this passage this morning with a cadence not unlike Tina Turner and her Buddhist mantra's from "What's Love Got to Do With It." (does anyone else find them self tempted to break out into song just reading that string of words?).


In any case, I thought I'd share where the spirit is leading me with this passage in the form of prayer.


Father God, I thank you for giving me these words today. For the encouragement, for the love, for showing me that you are here for me.


Lord, I pray that you would help me to be watchful. Watchful of the people that might attack with false accusations and hold me in judgement for reasons unknown. I don't ask this so that I can avoid them or be ready with response, because God I know that you will protect me. Lord I pray that I would be watchful over my own reaction. That I would be careful not to respond in anger as, I confess, I have done. That I would not open the door and let Satan into my life. Because he is so destructive God. He gives me a brief moment of raging satisfaction which is not only followed by your holy conviction, but which does not reflect the love, forbearance, and patience that you have given to me.


God, help me to stand firm in the faith. I pray that you would give me the strength to both represent you well AND to lean into you for words and a heart of love. I am so tempted to use a sharp tongue and rely on my own wit or deductive reasoning, to try and win an argument about worldly things with worldly reasoning when the issue at hand is most likely you. God help to trust in you with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).


Jesus, show me what it means to be a man in this struggle and in all of my life. To lead my wife by example. To prioritize as you call me to (You --> Brooke --> Baby --> Family --> Work --> the Church). To reflect you and what you have done for me, for them, and not to protect my pride. To reflect your love through the heart you have given me by the spirit that empowers me to do so.


Father, help me to be strong in all of this. To live with a strong conviction, strong faith, strong love, and strong resistance to temptation towards sin. Help me to be strong through you and not by myself. And when you help me Lord, please help me to not seek glory in my strength.


Finally, God, may all that I do be done in love. I have given far too many apologies lately for acting out of anger. I fear I haven't apologized enough. God when I like anger guide my behavior I do not reflect you. I don't share how much you have done for me, how you have been patient with me, how you love me and offer forgiveness no matter what I do. I pray that I can be more like you in this. Because the surest way for anyone to know you, to love you, is to feel your love. By your grace I have the ability to share that love. I pray that I would do so.

God or Gift?

It's that time of year again, the leaves are changing colors, there's a crisp in the air, an hour fell off of my clock at some point last night, and Mars Hill is kicking off its "Generous" campaign once again.

Is wealth your god? Or is it a gift from God given with a specific purpose? That's the question that was asked of us in church this morning. A question that usually, no, without fail, causes us all to groan inwardly at best  as we grow suspicious of the church's true intentions; tithing.

Admittedly, the question was focused around financial giving. But, it has implications reaching further, extending to the way we treat the entirety of God's grace in our lives. And my conviction today was not about whether or not my wife and I give regularly, sacrificially and cheerfully. Instead, it was about all of the other area's that God has blessed my life and I have not... appreciated his role, to put it mildly.

My initial response was no. No, money is not my god. No, I do not feel discontent with what I have. No, I do not pursue flashy things to elevate my status. No I do not hoard my money or pine after more of it.

"And he said to them, Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." - Luke 12: 15

Then it hit me, I do covet comfort and security. I'm just not as painfully aware of it because I've convinced myself that I already have it. I'm content because I already have much. I'm secure because I don't think I'll ever be without it. I do credit it to God, but I also take it for granted.

I asked myself this question. Is my lack of fear about the fast approaching end of the un-refinancible (yes, you can make up words while blogging) 80% fixed rate, interest only, 5 year arm, on my severely underwater condo loan because I rest assured in Jesus Christ? That I am confident that even if rates go up leading to eviction, financial ruin, poverty, public disgrace, and everything else that might follow, I still find comfort in knowing that I will be with Jesus on the other side? Would I still believe that He is in control and has a plan for my life? Or is it because I believe that he wouldn't allow that to happen to me? Or worse, because I believe that I wouldn't allow that to happen to me? I hate to admit it, and maybe wouldn't if I didn't know that no one reads this blog, but I'm pretty sure it's the latter. I've convinced myself that God has blessed me with the ability to make sure my life stays comfortable and secure. God help me.

To regard something as a gift, I need to appreciate the fact that it was not earned and that I bear no entitlement to it. Like a gift, He does not take back His promises. He also does not promise much of what he gives. We... I, need to be careful which gifts I latch on to. If my soul rests in the gifts of earthly comfort I will find myself idolizing material things and distancing myself from His calling. When the time comes that He calls on my soul to return, will I even want what He has truly promised me? Will I be ready to give up my worldly things for an eternity of service in the presence of God?

"And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." - Luke 12: 19-21

God, help me to be rich toward you. To love you by sharing what you give me. To seek opportunities to love others the way that you have shown love to me. To not store up insurance of comfort but to shepard your gifts with love and devotion to you.

okay.. times up, wish I could go back and edit this but I know if I don't post now I never will.

I Pray This is Godly Grief?

God, today I do not feel transformed. Today I feel like I'm pushing a broken plow in a dry and rocky field. I see no potential for harvest. I feel tired and I feel frustrated. I feel as if I'm wasting your time. I can't see what you want me to do with this broken plow and brittle earth. I don't know where to go when my own will and determination fail me.

Lord, these feeiling come out of grief. Grief that I do sin against my wife, grief that Psalm 52:2 is about me. Grief that I choose to believe lies time and time again.

Psalm 52:2 ESV

"Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit."

Somehow, at the same time I seem to declare myself just. Lord I am afraid that, given the opportunity, I would throw myself at your feet expecting a pat on the head and an award of recognition. That given that opportunity I might learn that you don't know me. I have done nothing to deserve your grace. There is nothing I can do or could ever do to deserve your grace. I wonder at what point my time will be up. At what point I will be pulled from the branch that I am suffocating and tossed into the fire. When, Lord, will I be pruned away? At what point will you see me as a wolf amongst your flock?

God I pray these are lies. I take comfort in the thought that todays confession of sin is you at work in my heart. That you cannot be deceived and that you have hope in me even as I lose my own. That the pain in my heart and the pain I caused in hers is your work of redemption. Jesus, I know that I need to trust in you alone, but I don't know how to. I don't know what to do. I need more of you God. I take comfort in your promise that "godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret." I am afraid that "worldly grief produces death."

2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV

"For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death."

Lord, help me to put a stop to Satan and his affects in my life, in our family, in this home. Please, please, take up his residence and bless us with your Holy Spirit. Show me how to close the doors to sin. Teach me to follow the will of your spirit in protecting this family.

Help me to get out of my own way and let you lead me. I thank you that you forgive me. I thank you that you love me despite myself. I thank you that my hope rests in your unconditional love.

My Psalm

I am currently going through a process at my church called "Redemption Group" I will [intend to] post a blog more on RG later, but for now let me just say that it's teaching and group discussion in an effort to reveal the amazing redemptive power of Christ's love for us individually.

In any event, one of our assignments was to write a Psalm. Mine is loosely based around a verse from Romans 2: 4

"4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed."

Here's the Psalm:

"Holy, holy, holy and righteous God
Creator, Designer, Operator, and Controller. Forgiver, Justifier, and Redeemer. Oh, so patient and loving Savior.

My sin runs far and wide and deep. Deep into my heart and far reaching to those I love most. Those who might look to me to find you.

So deep I find myself minimizing each action, or lack thereof, before I’ve finished confessing it.

Minimizing each lash against the back of your innocent son, negating each insult hurled at my only hope for salvation. Yet Jesus bore my sins and offered me His righteousness in the face of my transgressions.

My pride imagines me as the deciding factor. It imagines me immune to pain, remorse, or sorrow. It imagines me judge and jury. Persuades me that there is no failure. At times it succeeds in convincing me. Even worldy sorrow seems to fall short of these walls.

Blow your trumpet my God! Let the walls of my sin crumble to the ground. Throw me shaken to my knees, broken onto my face. Give me tears! Do not allow me to presume upon the riches of your kindness and forbearance and patience!
Blessed are those who’s anguish have left them broken of their own wickedness. Who were left with no option but to know that there is only hope in Jesus.

Blessed am I, that you have revealed yourself to me despite myself.

My sin cuts you deeply yesterday, today and tomorrow. It has laid a crushing blow against the innocent back of your true and perfect son. Yet You made Him to be sin who knew no sin.

Only by your grace are you still with me. Were it to me alone I would have rejected you long ago and a dozen times since.

You are beyond explanation, beyond comprehension. I should not, without you. I will not, without you. I cannot, without you. There is nothing without you.

Holy, holy, holy and righteous God. You have been calling me all my life, only now have I acknowledged your voice."


After discussing the Psalm in group and praying about it, God revealed to me that I am still placing myself in a position of control. My psalm makes it more about how bad I am, but it's not about that. It's about how GOOD HE IS. It doesn't matter what I have done or haven't done. What matters is that I need him, and that he chose to love me even when I don't understand what that means or why I need it. My sin did not put him on the cross against his will. He lovely chose to go there for me, and if you accept him, for you too.

A New Perspective on Psalm 139

Psalm 139, Verses 13-16
13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Yesterday we saw our baby for the first time. I can't even describe how amazing it is to see the life that God is knitting together first hand. Last night I took several 2 second clips, that the doctor gave us, and left Brooke watching them on loop while I went to Redemption group for the evening. When I returned 2.5 hours later I found my wife curled up to the computer screen jotting down names on a mini steno pad. "I love our baby!" She exclaimed.

Nothing can be more powerful in conveying God's unconditional love for us than the love a parent feels for their child. We are truly, truly, humbled by His grace. He has blessed us with a great gift and responsibility in who may some day be, [insert name here].

Trying on my own

It's been so long since I posted on this blog that I nearly forgot I once intended to do so. I have been creating a ton of "blog about this later" draft files that never actually make it to post. I suppose it's better to just get the thoughts out there and then comment later if I am inspired to do so. In that, I have resolved to post my incomplete thoughts.

Part of today's reading was in Psalm 39. While not all of the Psalm's are said to be written by King David, I believe (for no particular reason) that this one was. 

I often find myself willing myself to "be a better Christian." To me, that means conscious acts of commission (like serving my wife, being thoughtful and contentious of others, attending church, reading the word, etc) and acts of omission (not swearing at work even though this place is like a cus factory, not getting angry or irritated with other people, etc). This text reminds me that the more I try to do things myself, even when those things are ones that are given to us through Christ, only leads to bitter failure. Christ gives us the power to become more like him, but he gives it to us in the power of the Holy Spirit. We have to turn off our motor and open the sail to His breath to utilize the gift.

Psalm 39:
1 I said, I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.2 I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse.3 My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue [and asked God for guidance].

Exaggerating and why I need to stop it.

So here's the text that moved me this week (I started this post about a month ago so...), give it a quick run through and then we can one way chat about it.

I'll spare you a little reading by giving you a little preface to what's going on here. It's been a couple of years since Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. They have finally come to the choice land that God has selected for them. The passage below begins after some scouts saw that the land was perfect for them, but was inhabited by what they considered to be a fierce opponent.

Number 13: 30-32
"Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it. Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out."


(read: land is perfect, Caleb trusts that God will protect them. Others are afraid, plot to convince others to feel the same as them.)

Number 14: 3-4
"Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”


(read: exaggeration of the might of the people in the land succeeds in scarring the people into retreat. They decide they'd rather be slaves back in Egypt than even make an attempt at battling the enemy as they were depicted)

Numbers 14: 26
"As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected."

(read: the many were afraid because of the lie/exaggeration of the few, all were held deeply accountable)

Now for the one-way conversation.

On many an occasion I have found myself acknowledging the very true fact that I am in fact an exaggerator. Yes, up until now 'acknowledge' would be my word of choice. It was only in this past week that I realized it is not a suitable pseudonym for the confession that it really is.  My father, too, is an exaggerator. Further, I don't imagine it's a stretch to presume that I descend from a long line of exaggerators. So my 8 hours of OT a week are explained as 12, my 6 hours of sleep on 4 nights out of every week are described as 5 hours on 6 nights, and, my ability to be charitable is explained as less than it really is. These are seemingly harmless exaggerations of my life and so you are likely aggressively defending my actions in your own mind right now... or more likely patiently skimming for the part where I get to the point. So here it is.

 I do what the men other than Caleb did. I bend the truth to support my conclusion and in the end manipulate people into seeing things my way. It should be bad enough that my poor friend / wife / blog reader is being subject to such a degree of incessant complaining, but for me to bend the truth so that they are unable to make an objective conclusion is sin. It's a sin that most likely we are all complicit in. Why is it a sin? Two things, one verse:

Romans 1: 32
"Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."

We are sinners by nature and we want people to share in it with us. Practically, this is because it makes us feel better about are own sin when we can compare ourselves to other "good" people who do, feel, and see things the same way as us. So when I exaggerate to draw someone into the same opinion as my own I am doing two things. I am leading them into supporting my own sins, and I am rendering them incapable of holding me accountable. We are often blind to the sin in our own lies, largely because we do this exaggerating and justifying in our own minds. One of the benefits of Christian community is having someone who you trust and shares your values, to hold you accountable. As a Christian I am responsible for holding my brothers and sisters in Christ accountable to... if nothing else, repentance. If I'm not honest with them, if I do not give them a clear picture of my life, how can they play the role I need them to play in identifying my sins?

I'll do what you ask, so long as it's within my 5 year plan

I listened to a sermon by a pastor named James Mangum (Austin Stone Community Church) this morning. He spoke a powerful and convicting word on James 4: 13-17. The message can more or less be summed up in this quote, "We say 'Here's my plan and God I'm going to invite you in on the journey. Bless me and walk with me.' And then, when we sense that we don't get what we want, we start to question his character." He didn't say it, but the implication was that we feel the greatest loss when we question God's character.

If you don't believe in a personal God that knows and loves you better than you know yourself, perhaps this message will be lost on you; please read on regardless. But if you feel that love, even for an instant, you will know it's true. Latch on to it, or in the words of Chris Tucker from the movie Friday (didn't think you'd see a Friday reference in a Christian blog did you?), "write it down, take a picture, I don't give a f***." Just remember it, because you will have times where that memory feels distant, or when you forget how real you once knew that relationship is.

As the pastor pointed out, these times of disconnection, and thus questioning, come when God's plan doesn't seem to line up with what we thought it was.

note: let's be perfectly clear, he has a plan, it's laid out in a big black book. There's free copies of it everywhere you go. If we study that and make our plans from that, share and evaluate those plans with others who study the same book, and then turn back and repeat the cycle when the plan seems to change, then we will most likely be okay. I know, easier said than done and I won't even try and tackle that topic in this blog.

Even the most sure footed of God's disciples have fallen victim to this same feeling of loss. For Peter, the humiliation, torture and crucifixion of the all powerful God-man himself was certainly not how he envisioned the King to come to power. For John the Baptizer, waiting in jail to be put to death was not the reward he had predicted when he dedicated his life to preaching the coming of the Christ. Both men saw God in Heaven reveal his own identity in Jesus Christ personally, both men knew Christ was God in the flesh beyond a shadow of a doubt, and both men doubted Him in a way that led to a season of personal devastation in their own lives.

If we are not careful, we may turn our faces from God when his plan for us isn't what we thought it would be. If (and He is) God is love, light and glory, then turning away is a turn towards darkness, depression and despair. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus to death because he became convinced that He was not who he once believed him to be (yes Calvinist readers, I know he likely never loved Christ in the first place, but that is besides this point). The point is that we Christians do the same when we know his love and then we turn from it.

If you don't know God's love, you've probably either stopped reading by now, or are angrily confessing to yourself that I've lost it, you will no longer read this blog, and will choose to act strangely around me the next time we meet. The truth is, were I asked directly, yes, I worry for you and I want you to know the comfort Jesus Christ has given me in faith. But that doesn't mean I am unable to be around you without viewing you through some Christian judgement lens; I have a gazillion sins of my own that I need to work through. I am called to let you know the message of the gospel if you are willing to listen. Your fate is between you and God, I play no part other than that of a messenger. He he wants you to know him, and to live a life for him, I believe he will make that happen. Only then will I anticipate you wanting similar things in life as I do, as he has helped me to want.

To give an analogy that will likely bristle you a bit, lets say that you see a blind man walking down a busy sidewalk without his red tipped stick. You wouldn't judge that man for walking in a winding path as he reached for something to guide his way. You wouldn't condemn them for bumping into you, or stepping on your foot. You would expect nothing less from someone that could not see what you could. You would either reach out to help them, which is what I believe the sharing of the gospel message is, or you would continue on your way unaffected by his plight. Confident that he will find his own way. Is it arrogant to place myself in the role of the seeing good Samaritan that lends a helping hand? I imagine it would seem that way. But if you were the seeing good Samaritan, would you cross the street and leave them be because you wouldn't want to offend their perspective? There's a good chance that this man would not want your help. That it would damage their pride to be offered assistance from some stranger that doesn't see it from their perspective. There is also a chance that they have been waiting for someone to offer a helping hand for a long time.

Interestingly, I set out to write a short message about letting God set the course of our life and not clinging to our own well intentioned plans. It think I ended up giving a broken down version of an alter call instead. But God works in mysterious ways and I think it might go against the spirit of this letter in the first place to go back and tailor what I've written to suit my intended message.

In short, I'd love to chat if you would. I would be happy to have you tell me why I'm wrong and how surprised you are that I could fall for this Christianity thing. Provided that you continue talking to me. That you choose to not judge me the same way that I don't judge you.

Father I pray, not for my will, not for our will, but for Yours.

- until next time

James 4, 13-17:
"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."

Fw: #praiseGod and #helpmeJesus

Subject: #praiseGod and #helpmeJesus

For those of you who don't know, tweeting with a hashmark before a word basically helps to catagorize the tweet so that it can be found by searching.

I'm thinking #praiseGod and #helpmeJesus are good hashmark catagories.

I don't know about you. But I find myself busting out my phone in times of jubilation, frustration, and idleness equally.

Let's say for example I am stuck in traffic, you might find a frustrated tweet "Ahh Seattle drivers make me nuts!" or "been stuck on ship canal for twenty minutes, great start to the weekend!". What if that tweet was instead "#helpmeJesus frustrated with traffic, feeling entitled to a quick return home."? How about, "Jacks Manniquin Concert rocks!" to "#praiseGod for good friends and good music"

My thought being on one, the #helpmeJesus side, we accomplish several things:
- we put out our frustrations and struggles in a place where our friends can see where we are struggling and engage us in conversation about it later.
- we create and outlet that leads us to nearly immediate prayer and reflection on our response to lifes encounters.
- by searching, we can see the similar struggles that people at large have and perhaps discover struggles of our own.

On the other, "praiseGod" we accomplish a host of other things:
- we make a point of taking note of how He works in our life.
- we provide a window for others to see how God works in peoples lives.

Best of all, by doing these two practices, we create a timeline to look back on and reflect on how God is sanctifying us, or not, over time.

So I, for one, plan on doing this. I would love to see you on the band wagon.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Do We Know the Harm of What We Do?

Leviticus 5: "(18)...the priest shall make atonement for him for the mistake that he made unintentionally, and he shall be forgiven. (19) It is a guilt offering; he has indeed incurred guilt before the Lord."

Reading this text this morning, it reminded me that simply because something is done without forethought, it does not free us from its responsibility nor its destruction. Think about it, if someone hit your kid with their car, on accident, they wouldn't be any less responsible for their actions than if they did it on purpose. Granted the punishment should be different, but the accountability remains in either scenario.

Since all sin principally hurts the one who is closest to us and thereby affected most, God is the one that needs to forgive us. As in any relationship, you need to seek forgiveness to receive it. So, how can we expect to be right with God if we don't think there's anything to be forgiven of?
Thank God that Jesus died for our sins and offers us forgiveness. Thank God that he gives us his word to reveal to us our Sin and his solution for it. He (the Priest) alone can make atonement for us through his son Jesus Christ.

side note:
I have noticed myself strarting to drift into "Christianese" speak a bit these days, so let me make a brief side note to explain. When I sin, I mean anything that is destructive towards God plan for humanity. Effectively, this means anything that is not done for him since even good things are not good if they are done for the wrong reasons (I would love to talk to any of you for hours on end about this if you're interested). I say that He is most affected because he created us, he knows what we were meant to do, what we are capable of, and how frequently we deny what we know in our hearts is right (again, let's discuss if you disagree).

Secular Discovery of Biblical Truths

I just wanted to briefly praise God for the way he causes people to discover his truth's one way or another. It says in Romans 2.15 (ESV), "the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears withness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them." We all know the truth about God and the life we are called to live. The question is how we respond to that law. Do we tremble at the impossibility and turn to Jesus for help? Or do we deny it and turn to ourself to cope?

I was listening to BJ Shea show on 99.9FM this morning (don't judge me), and BJ had this epiphany that all people are addicted to something, we just only really hear about it when it's drugs. Yes, YEs, YES BJ that is so true! We are all worshipers, addicted to seeking God or Self. While perhaps not everything, we can trace most of our worst days to the worship of / addiction to things other than God. Society calls the worship of money, fame or noteriety "ambition", God calls it idolotry. Society calls the worship of drugs and alcohol addiction, God calls it idolotry. The difference that drives societies perception is what we think we can achieve for ourselves. If an addiction is self serving, from a socio-economic standpoint, we consider it a positive trait. If not, its an addiction and should be shunne.

All things are created by God and therefor have a potential for good. It's not that we can't seek a comfortable living, or relax with a glass of wine a dinner. The problem is, as Mark Driscoll says, when "you make a good thing, a God thing," and worship it.

-until next time