It's Just Outside Your Front Door

It starts in our own backyard.  Sometimes we get so caught up in foreign missions we forget about our own surroundings.  Maybe it's just naivety in the fact that we think someone else is taking care of it, or maybe we are just cowards.  Cowards in the sense that these are the people we live with, work with, and play with.  What if they knew exactly how we felt about Jesus.  After all it's way easier to preach the gospel to someone you don't know who doesn't live where you live.  Right?  There's no fear of rejection.  And if rejection did happen - not a big deal, you'll probably never see them again.  Easy.  I guess the real question here, without going off on a tangent, is if you are a Christian, why wouldn't the poeple you hang with know exactly how you feel about Jesus?  Alright, staying focused here.  

Global missions ARE needed, and are as important as anything.  In fact I personally have a soft spot in my heart for Africa.  The AIDS orphans and villages that have been devastated and ravaged resonate deep within me.  I will go there someday.  Hopefully more than once.   Other nations that are in dire straits also need our help, and we should help out of love and compassion, not out of duty or responsibility.  However;  coming back around to the locals -  here is what I came across this morning while reading the Bible.   I was actually reading out of "The Message."  The Message is a paraphrase of the Bible, not a translation, but sometimes gives a fresh relevant approach.  It's good to broaden your scope of reading and not get sucked into a single only translation.  i.e. KJV only or NIV only.  So here is what spoke to me this morning while reading in Matthew.  

Jesus is addressing the crowd and states that the harvest is great and the workers are few.  He then calls his 12 disciples up and gives them this direction.  "Don't "begin" by traveling to some far off place to convert unbelievers.  And don't try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy.  Go to the lost confused people RIGHT HERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD!"  ..."Don't think you have to put on a fund raising campaign before you start.   You don't need a lot of equipment, you are the equipment!"  I like what Jesus says next - "All you need is three meals a day...travel light."    Now understand this is a paraphrase version, these are not the literal words of Christ, but the message is there plain and simple.  

So yes, let's continue to focus globally.  Like our mission statement at our church "Journey"  Let's transform the world by starting in Bend Oregon.  Don't think that's really possible?  How many people did Jesus call up to hit the local neighborhood?  12.  Look what's happened.

Over ANALyze

If anyone reads this blog.  Thanks!  If you would care to comment, that would be great.

Something that has been bugging me for awhile that I keep forgetting to write down - is over analyzing people - especially bloggers.  It seems that everyone has become an expert on everything spiritual anymore.  Analyzing this, critiquing that (which I am just as guilty of) suggesting this or that, and lost focus of what I believe is the core.  The heart.  

People are analyzing the type of worship, the style, the songs, the way you sing the songs, the band, their clothes, their hair, are they smiling too much etc.?  Are they performing? Is it called a stage or a platform?  People comment on the pastors, or reverends, or teachers of the Word.  What translation is he using?  What kind of props are acceptable?  How long should the sermon be?  Should it be topical or exegetical?  Then how about the decorations of the church?  Everyone has an "opinion" on that?  Or how about the ever controversial "coffee area"!!  Oooh!  Should it be good coffee, just O.K. coffee, Starbucks coffee, or should we even have coffee at all!

People are analyzing and opining on things like - do we love God or do we love loving God?  Are we worshiping for Him or for the inspiring song?  If it's for Him, (which is should be) are we not allowed to enjoy the experience?  Or is that not about Him, but about us?  The whole thing is out of control.  When I go to a game, or see my kids excel at a sporting event, I'm the loudest one there.  My wife genuinely gets embarassed.  Should I say "well that was a public display of attention that was centered around me."  No!  I'm excited for my team or my kids, and I'm having fun with it!  It's not about me, it's about my team or my kids!  I am enjoying my kids and the experience they have drawn me into with them.  Having fun with Jesus is NOT wrong, in fact I would encourage it, and I think He would too!

Where is the heart issue?  Jesus is more concerned about your heart than He is about the freakin coffee, I can assure you of that.  As far as I'm concerned, jump, shout, laugh, sing loudly at the worship songs!  David in the bible did!  Oh yeah, he got analyzed over that too. Get engaged.  Are you saying you can't have fun and worship God at the same time?!  Then you better go to a Baptist or Lutheran church if that's how you feel.

When you realize that it's your heart your pouring out to Him, everything else becomes so irrelevant.  When He realizes that your pouring out your heart to Him everything becomes so authentic.  Enough of the over analyzing and micro managing ideology.  Are there black and white issues?  Absolutely.  But don't tell me how to worship the King, or what translation is best, or that I can't get excited about at church, because then it's not really about Him, it's just the "atmosphere" that's been created that your excited about. 

Pour your heart and soul into Jesus and you can't not produce fruit.  He tells us to draw near to Him and He will draw near to us.  It's a no brainer.  So all you super intellectual, over analyzing, theological spiritual wanna be's ...shut up.  Commit yourself fully and wholly to Jesus.  Quit being His earthly go to guy.  He doesn't need your help, He's got it pretty well figured out Himself.  If you want to help, go out into the world and love on someone for who they are, and let Jesus take it from there.

Prove It To Me

It tells us in the Bible that our sins are forgiven when we become Christians.  Psalm 103:12 So when we get to heaven, we are still judged.  Right?  For what?  I believe that when we become a new creation in Christ, all or our transgressions are forgiven forever.  So that means when we enter heaven we are pure.  Right?  Then what are we judged on if I'm correct here?  I believe we are judged on what we did once became a child of God.  It's going before the judge and presenting your case.   2 Corinthians 5:10

Here's what I mean.  Imagine the judge (in this case God) asking for proof that indeed you were changed when you committed your life to Him.  "where's the evidence?" He asks.  "All I see here is a bunch of lust, drunken-ness and excuses."  "Where is the proof that you really turned your life around?"  "How would you like to proceed here?"  "Do you have any evidence?"  "Church?"  "Church?"  "Do you expect Me to believe that by going to church your life was changed?"  "Do you realize to whom you are speaking?!"  "Now be careful here - I know your thoughts."  

Would you have enough evidence to prove that your life was changed?  That you were a true believer and follower of Jesus?!  "O.K., do you have any fruits that you could use as evidence?"

Will you hang your head, and ask the almighty to just believe that your intentions were good, and that alot of things got you "off track"  and you meant to "come back" but just didn't get around to it in time?!  "Show me proof!!"  "Show me the fruits of your labor, surely there must be something more concrete than reading your bible once in awhile, or going to church!"  "Surely there must!"  

Would you have enough evidence (any concrete evidence) that you are a converted child of the almighty judge?   If you are a true christian, you will go to heaven, but it may be an uncomfortable conversation with the judge.  Just a thought I had.