Today I tried to preach a sermon....

Well today I got up in front of my church and tried to teach about my thoughts on the genius of Jesus, I was half nervous and half exited to share some of my thoughts and feelings about Jesus, I defiantly have a heart for teaching, I think that as soon as I get my auto-cad degree that I will probably start perusing some kind of theological degree. I have a certain view point on Christianity, and have a passion for history, which has to lead me somewhere, right? Well here is some of my thoughts about the genius of Jesus;

Prayer:

Jesus if you would show yourself to us in this community today,

For I know that you are already here with us,

Help us feel your presence,

Help us feel your genius today,

Help us be a true community all in relation to you,

Open our minds to your will,

And open our hearts to the love that you have for us,

And in this New Year lead us to be a community of disciples fulfilling your mission.

In my journey I have been around the block, so to say, in the spiritual realm.

I have been involved in many different paths trying to find my way to God;

Ever since I was very young I had a strong yearning to seek God.

And I'm not going to deny some of the awesome moments that I went through and the fact that I truly believe God was there with me, in fact I know that he was.

Another thing that I know is that it was all to lead me here,

To be in communion with you all,

and to be in communion with my King, or if I may say, my president Jesus.

No other spiritual practice or path speaks so eloquently to all aspects of our lives,

teaching us how not only to get our selves right with God but almost more importantly giving ourselves to our neighbors and focusing all of our intentions on LOVE.

So speaking to the genius of Jesus I want us to look at 3 verses today if you have a bible with you today please open them to Mark 2:15,

For me this is a great example of the way that Jesus thinks,

To help us understand this let us look at the context of this passage,

As I understand it in Jesus’ time most of the Pharisees blamed the occupation and fall of Israel to Rome on the sinners and nonreligious Jews,

They felt like if only the people of Israel could be more religious and clean like them they could rise again,

And more over the idea of communing and eating with them was blasphemous,

They could not be brought down to the level of sinners that would corrupt them and ruin them in God’s eyes,

So Jesus’ thinking is that we not only need to stoop to the level of sinners we need to eat with them and show them the love of God,

He is not thinking about his reputation,

He is not thinking about bringing Israel back to its once held glory,

He is thinking about Gods healing love right then and right there.

On to our second passage Mark 4:21-25 please follow along,

For this passage I would like to read out of the Message Bible,

It really helped me understand what Jesus is trying to say,

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To bring it into context Jesus is talking to a large crowd,

so large that he decided to get out on to a boat to speak while the crowd listened from the edge of the Sea of Galilee

he is talking about how to live life to this group first using a farmer as a metaphor,

something that they are all very familiar with,

with most everyone in those times having to grow most of their food,

and then the metaphor of a lamp which was a staple for all households,

but it is that last point that he makes is what gets me,

Generosity that is Jesus’ way,

That is Gods way.

Lets move on, Mark 10:17 once again from the Message

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The context here is that someone is trying to understand how to gain eternal life,

To understand how to get into Gods Kingdom,

And Jesus turns right around and tell the rich man that he needs to give it all away,

I would argue that this is the last thing that he was expecting to hear,

I think that Jesus saw right thru the man and saw that he wasn’t ready to let God take control,

Genius,

Which leads me to my next point,

The Great Reversal, what a great thought, what a genius way of putting it,

The ones with the most , last

The ones with the least, first

This is the way it is in Jesus’ upside down Kingdom,

I mean in our culture we see things and have been taught things in a certain way,

That we want to be on top with the few, the rich, that’s success, right?

We don’t want to mingle with those who have the least,

The riff-raff, the unclean, the non religious, right?

We see hundreds of adds a day that tell us we need more,

Which means we need more money, right?

Jesus says no,

We don’t, we need to be with the least, Eat with them,

Mingle with them, Love them, count our selves among them,

and with our generosity show them Gods healing love.

Father God

For me, my relationship with God has been an interesting journey, we have ebbed back and forth through times of real closeness and times of doubt and distance. But lately through some revelations, and tears my closeness with God seems to be back, bringing me out of the darkness of doubt into the light of love. Realizing that God has the same love for us and me that I have for my own children, I just think of when each of my kids were born, they came out, still covered in that new born film all slippery and slimy, I held them in my arms and I felt this love come over me just totally pure not because of something they did but just because they were there. This love is almost unexplainable, but it is real, really real. Placing that knowledge of God as our father at the center of my life, really brings me peace about my own father and the fact of who my true father is, the one is with me all of the time, the one who when I listen will guide me.

A song of Peace

an amazing song of Peace by Esther Sparks......

The reason for the season...

LOVE

Love, what a wonderful, hard, blessed, difficult, gratifying thing. It is so hard to live in and fulfill with in our lives, its that one thing that keeps us from being the people that we truly are, its the one law that Jesus said would set us free. Its the one thing that I believe is going to save the world but still it is the one thing that I can't seem to keep in focus all of the time. LOVE. It seems so easy to say but how many of us truly live it out within all of our relationships, LOVE, the Beatles say its easy, and its all you need, I agree on the latter but the former has me thinking. I feel that when I focus on my self (which seems to come real easy, maybe because of how I was raised, I don't know) the LOVING part becomes something that I really have to struggle to choose, but as soon as I do, I'll have to say the Beatles have it right, its easy. Its natural, and that's why I know its how we are made to be. Another one of my favorite music groups "Noah and the Whale", has a line in one of their songs "Peaceful" it goes like this;" if you don't believe in God, then how can you believe in LOVE, because if we are all just matter, that will one day scatter, when the world lays us down". I think that what they are trying to say is that LOVE is real, and if LOVE is real, than God has to be real as well. Well I would like to end on the immortal words of Lennon/McCartney, "LOVE, LOVE, LOVE; LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, its easy, all you need is LOVE, LOVE is all you need, LOVE is all you need."

Winter Time

The winter is here and I am loving it the feeling of the woodstove and cozying up together as a family, it just warms my heart. Sometimes I just feel like that is enough, that I am complete, I don't know it just feels right, it feels good. There is something about the cold, when you go outside and can only stand it for a short while, and you come in amazed at how warm the house is. I know that everyone doesn't agree with me but I love it. And not to mention Christmas. Enjoy my favorite musician and his wonderful song. He just makes me happy. I hope he does the same for you.

To own a dragon..

I just recently bought the book "To Own a Dragon" by Don Miller, this book is about growing up with out a father. Which is one of the greatest struggles of my whole life, I did have a father up until I was 14, but I have to say that he was not much of one when he was around. He was an alcoholic, and very depressed and mostly absent as a father. So in my life learning how to be a father and a husband, which I decided to become early on (to my great joy), has been a tremendous uphill climb for me, I have hurt people along the way, and for that I am truly sorry, my short comings have put my family in a place where we struggle with the simple things that for most people come natural and easy. This book has opened things in my own heart that I thought that I was over but realize that I have just pushed down. It is so hard to face and accept what God has given, the good and the bad, which I think that enter mingle with each other like a spiders web, the spider web of our life. I think that even people with the best upbringings have interspersed within them difficult times. I think that all of these things have to do with our disconnection from God, i e the fall of humanity. Not having a in touch father to me has such a bearing on being able to be in touch with the true father, relying on God is so hard when you aren't sure that he is able to be in touch with you, or in the back of your mind even wants to. I so hope that I can give my children the father that I did not have, so hopefully they won't have to struggle with these same things that I have such a hard time with. And I also so hope that I can overcome this so that I can give my wife the husband that she has always wished for. Is this a struggle for anyone out there, I wonder am I alone? If anyone who reads this has any words of fatherly wisdom to impart please leave a comment, I would love to read them.

The struggle...

For me one of the biggest struggles in my life is the balance between dropping everything and living for the kingdom and totally depending on God for all of my needs, or striving in the world to get ahead and achieving something worldly. Reminding myself over and over that God always has a plan, connecting with him and carrying that with me is difficult for me. It is hard for me to continually think that what I am doing is furthering Gods Kingdom, because if I keep him close, I know and have always known that he will guide me to the things that I am suppose to do, for him.
I feel that my generation has a big responsibility to keep our eyes open for what is happening around the world, I truly feel that that is one of the main reasons for the internet and our ability through technology, to stay so closely connected. But as I say that it is very significant that we, at the same time keep a close eye on what is happening in our own backyards. Knowing how to keep that balance is something that we have to pay extreme close attention to, that means that we have to grow as humans, grow to encompass all of that which is laid at our feet and have the wisdom to see where best our actions fit in to the grand picture.
"The gates of hell will never prevail against the kingdom of God." When we read this we have to remember that "gates" are a defensive noun, that we have to be the offensive to destroy the gates that people have put up, destroy with love that is, because the reason that folks put gates up in the first place is because they fear that something is going to come after them and hurt them. We have to show people that we are not here to hurt but to heal, so they can let their guards down and take off their masks we love them for who they are, even with the brokenness that they are full of. And that through our savior we are able to love them because nothing that we have ever done and could ever do can take his love away, and with that we can be vulnerable to him and everyone, and this is what truly frees us, we can take off the shackles of shame, and come to him with only our honest selves. So lets lovingly destroy the gates that everyone has put up in fear and love them until they can know God's love for them, unconditionally. Lets show our enemies, and our neighbors the love that is in store for them. Lets all live in freedom!

As a Christian....

I wanted to repeat Jay Bakker's Revolution Church sentiment " As a Christian, we are sorry for being self-righteous judgmental bastards!" - I too as a christian am sorry for this, I think that we have to own that this is what the church has been in in the past and take responsibility for it and not just say this is not who "I" am "I'm not one of those", because all of us have been, be honest with your self and with everyone, I think that people will start to respect us more for that. So don't let the bastards get you down! Jesus is not one. By the way I love Jay and his message!

A post about Mom

Mom in 1971

My mother has cancer at age 54. She has been a light in my life so much, it is so hard to talk about her because there is no words that can explain what she has done for me. But I want her legacy to live on, I hope that I can live close to the way that she has lived and is still living her life. Through out her life she has always been the type of person that would give what ever she has to help someone, people have always told me that no matter when or were they see her she always has a smile on her face, and they say just seeing her brings a light to their life. It's the same for me, always encouraging me. One of my favorite memories that has always stayed with me, is the way she used to wake me and my brother up every morning, she would sing "Its time to wake up Brent and Cheyne, its time to wake up." And she would always have a warm breakfast ready for us. She never has wanted much in her life, materially, she spends most of her time at her farm in Winslow, watching and tending to her chickens, growing amazing flowers and tasty vegetables, and enjoying a peaceful life among the trees and wildlife. I am so sad that she is having to go through cancer and the treatments that are making hard for her to function like she wants to,but she is so positive about everything (her nickname is Pollyanna) even about the cancer. Most of the time I have to make her let me help her, she never wants to put anyone out. Mom, I wish I had the words to explain the love that I have for you and how many ways you have impacted my life, I know that a thank you is not enough, hopefully the life that I lead will be a pointer to who you are and what you have done. I love you so much.

The Invasion

After an inspiring sermon by the grenzian today at Vintage, I was really feeling the hope and love that we can pass on through our lives to others. I am so thankful for our church and for the people that work so hard to keep it going, and keep loving people no matter what. Now more than ever in our world is the time that we need to start acting more and more like Jesus, loving no matter what the cost, living simply so that others may simply live, taking care of those who need the encouragement when no one else will give it to them. Taking off our own masks to show people who we really are and in turn, how alike we all really are, how we all have similar thoughts and we all go through similar situations no matter who we are.

I WILL NOT COMPLY

One: With the waging of war.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the legalization of murder.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the slaughter of innocents.
All: We will not comply.
One: With laws that betray human life.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the destruction of community.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the pointing finger and malicious talk.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the idea that happiness must be purchased.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the ravaging of the earth.
All: We will not comply.
One: With principalities and powers that oppress.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the destruction of peoples.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the raping of women.
All: We will not comply.
One: With governments that kill.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the theology of empire.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the business of militarism.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the hoarding of riches.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the dissemination of fear.
All: We will not comply.
I Will not comply.

This is a Litany from " Jesus for President" -by Shane Claiborne

I feel that these are things that the church in America needs to be thinking about if we truly are wanting to live out the message of loving your neighbor as your self, and enemy love. Do we really believe that we are under Gods security, that he is in control? Why do we keep striving to create our own security outside of God?
I know that this is something that I have to keep reminding myself, that what I create here without God-"moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal."

TRADE AS ONE

Lets all try and TRADE AS ONE...

I LOVE THIS MUSIC VIDEO

wonderful music video, I stole from Brian McLaren's
blog http://www.brianmclaren.net/. Thank you Brian.

"THE LAST WORD"

I am currently engrossed in N.T. Wright's book
"The Last Word"
Scripture and the Authority of God-Getting Beyond the Bible Wars.

He has made me think a lot about our history and how we should go about reading the Bible,
I recommend it if you can stomach the scholarly writing style he uses.
He has taught New Testament studies for 20 yrs at Cambridge, McGill, and Oxford universities.

THANK YOU.......

Today I drove to NWACC and I was just amazed at the beautiful creation that was shining in all around me. I had left home and forgot my sun glasses, the sun was just blinding me and I was getting frustrated, I think that we all can connect with that feeling. But I had to just stop myself and take a moment, and reconnect to God and his creation and then I felt such a peace come over me. I started to see everything fresh again and looked to the massive amazingness (I know its not a word but its the closes I can get to demonstrate my feelings) of all creation. I feel so thankful in some ways to science, because it helps me comprehend the amount of harmony that has to be achieved for the Earth to sustain its orbit around the Sun, spin on the same axis that the atoms that we are composed of spin on, and not to mention the incredible timing that this all takes so that plants can grow and produce. There is so much that is happening right here and right now, that I can't even comprehend. But yet it all puts me at peace, helping me know that there is a Creator working here among us, coxing us on the right path if only we can stop fussing once and awhile and "be still and know that he is Lord."

PERPLEXED...

Well a day or two ago I happened to spot a bumper sticker that said "When the Democrats took Congress the average cost of gas was: $2.40" this was surrounded by McCain, Palin stickers. I was perplexed, what was the owner trying to get across...That the Democrats caused the gas to rise? I think that this reflects more toward Republicans, seeing as how gas is now down(which also has to do with the sharp down turn of the economy). I thought this was comical so I had to share it.

Beginnings

Well, this is my first post, I guess let me explain my title, I know that I have many logs in my eye's and I want to let that be known...I have opinions on things and life which I plan to let loose here, but I also hope this will be a place people can come and respectfully challenge me on those thoughts and ideas. Jesus is at the center of my life, he and his upside down kingdom has screwed my life all up. I never thought that I would be a christian since I was young or at least not one like the ones that were visiable to me, but then I started to dig into christ and he reveled what I belive is the heart of christ, the things that I have belived my whole life, that life is love and God is love. So please enjoy and post on...As for personal stuff concerning me, I live and love in Winslow Ar, with my amazing family(my wife, Candice, sons Sol, 9, and Arlo, 3, and daughters Ivy, 8, and Aley, 5)