One of my favorite podcast to listen to is Liquid Church with Pastor Tim Lucas. This last message was titled "Don't Stop Believin'", you know, like Journey from the 80's. Pastor Tim spoke about entering into chapter two from chapter one. For so many of us I know we can relate to this. As I was thinking about this journey we are all on one side of a door.
A door is any gateway marking an entrance or exit from one place or state to another. Have you ever been in a place you just wanted to exit? Or another place you wanted to enter. How many times are we in a place we know we should leave but are afraid to? Perhaps it's because it is all we have ever known. It could be a dark place we fear to leave because of what we may encounter if we do. Or maybe it is a place that we are just too comfortable.
Interestingly enough, Jesus calls Himself the door.
I imagine many of us open the door and maybe even go through the door but we leave it open. Don't you just hate it when the door is left open? Sometimes maybe we position ourselves so that we can see through the doorway, remembering the past. Why? I believe too often we may be physically in the right place but our thoughts are in the past, perhaps in darkness. Close the door to the past and set you sights on things above. I love Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Learn from the past, live in the present, hope for the future.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
What about Grace?
So news broke out recently about the author of one of the greatest worship songs today, Healer. It turns out this guy says he doesn't have cancer as he had claimed. However he did have another addiction, pornography. Perhaps he did have cancer.
So some of us on a church staff are talking about this ordeal. One says, "there is no way we can ever sing that song again", my question is why not? Has the song lost it's power because the guy that "wrote" it was a liar. A question came up about airing a message from another speaker that had been caught in deceit. I say sure, air it, sing it, if it is good and inspiring and touches the heart of God.
I am reminded of David from the Bible, we quote him, we sing his songs, we deliver message series based on him don't we? Here is a guy that premeditated sexual relations with that woman and then charted a course for murder. HELLO!
And what about Jesus, when a woman was caught in adultery she was tossed at his feet thinking she was about to be raked over the coals by Jesus Himself. But what did Jesus do? You without sin, you throw the first stone at her.
I am challenged by all of this. First of all, who among us is without sin? All of us have sinned and fall well short of God's standard. But isn't that why Jesus came into the world? He came to redeem a sinful man, you and me. I know we as humans really like to rate all of our sins on a scale, some are much worse than others, does God see it that way?
After all, God has a message to get out, I thank God that some folks are willing to be used. I am grieved by "Christians" beating their own when they are down. Can we at the very least pray for his healing, reformation and restoration? I say as Christ followers, we are to be carriers of His love and grace and it covers ALL sin. Thank God!
So some of us on a church staff are talking about this ordeal. One says, "there is no way we can ever sing that song again", my question is why not? Has the song lost it's power because the guy that "wrote" it was a liar. A question came up about airing a message from another speaker that had been caught in deceit. I say sure, air it, sing it, if it is good and inspiring and touches the heart of God.
I am reminded of David from the Bible, we quote him, we sing his songs, we deliver message series based on him don't we? Here is a guy that premeditated sexual relations with that woman and then charted a course for murder. HELLO!
And what about Jesus, when a woman was caught in adultery she was tossed at his feet thinking she was about to be raked over the coals by Jesus Himself. But what did Jesus do? You without sin, you throw the first stone at her.
I am challenged by all of this. First of all, who among us is without sin? All of us have sinned and fall well short of God's standard. But isn't that why Jesus came into the world? He came to redeem a sinful man, you and me. I know we as humans really like to rate all of our sins on a scale, some are much worse than others, does God see it that way?
After all, God has a message to get out, I thank God that some folks are willing to be used. I am grieved by "Christians" beating their own when they are down. Can we at the very least pray for his healing, reformation and restoration? I say as Christ followers, we are to be carriers of His love and grace and it covers ALL sin. Thank God!
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