Witness

Well, here we go! Stephen (great name but wrong spelling) is about to become the first Jesus follower to be killed in service of the cause. And all he did was be the conduit for miracles from the Lord and share his experience, strength and hope. The word martyr carries the freight of dying for the cause, but the word actually means witness. It was a legal term (i.e. being a witness in a trial). It was the word Jesus used when he told the eleven they would be his witnesses starting in Jerusalem (right where they were) and to the ends of the earth (wherever they might by God go). It's all about being missionaries on our specific mission fields. That's all Stephen was doing. It's what the Lord expects of all who follow him. The call is to be conscious and to move, speak, act when prompted by the Spirit. And for that Stephen was brutally murdered. And all I have to suffer is making the effort to stay conscious about who I am and what I'm supposed to be up to, and seizing by the throat my fear of being thougth socially inappropriate. or intrusive and share what I have with Jesus. Lord, help me never forget that even in this post-modern world there are Jesus followers who are literally being killed all day long just for following you and going public about it.

The first Lord's supper?

OK, here is something else I am sure was not in the bible the last four times I read it cover to cover. Isn't it interesting that no matter how many times we read the word there is always something new there? I'm sure I've never read this before (Exodus 9-11) though I am sure the words hit my eyes. They just didn't register in my soul. Maybe that's because the Lord was drawing my attention to something else I was reading in that part of the word. The Lord really does meet us in the word, doesn't he. And if we are listening he gives us a specific word for us; he speaks right into our lives. Now I have to figure out what the Lord is saying to me by getting me to hear (see?) this bit about that small group having "a covenant meal" with him. Is it about the importance of small groups? Is he showing me that way back in the book so I will once again speak about the deep importance of close communion (i.e. fellowship with a small group for Christ's sake) where the Lord will meet us and commune with us? There I said it. Is there anyone out there who needed to hear it (besides me again!)? And just for weirdness sake, I would have told you that no one has ever laid eyes on God-even that it says that somewhere in the book. But here it clearly says this small group "saw" him. Does anyone know where it says no one has ever seen the Father? (Hint. It was the Son who said it.)

Hey You Guys

Just wanted to say that I sure hope you who read will begin to take the wheel some on this. You don't have to comment on what I'm thinking. If you are into another chapter or verse, please share your thoughts with the community. This is not my blog; it's the blog of the Heartsong faithful. I will be glad to comment on where you are feeling led in the word. Lead on, Heartsong faithful. I will share my thoughts when struck by them, but please don't wait on me, or think I have to be the one getting us going every day.

Strange Things Happening Here

The story in Exodus 4:24ff is one of those very strange stories in the bible I do not begin to understand. It presents a side of God that seems alien (even primative) to me. It makes me wonder what actually happened. Was this some intense and sudden illness that they attributed to God? Was God's actual role in the story healing Moses? That would certainly be more in line with the character of Jesus. Of course, if God wants to attack Moses that's alright with me. I don't need to understand it; it doesn't need to make sense to me. I'm just being honest that I don't get it, that I'm willing to buy that it happened, but I'm not willing to buy the interpretation of who is responsible for it happening. I'm just putting that little story in a box in my heart and mind called "awaiting further light." By the way, that's not an original term with me. It comes from the writing of Leslie Weatherhead, most known the author of "The Will of God", which is a wonderful exploration of the issue of human suffering. I find much more valuable for faith development his book, "The Christian Agnostic" in which he shares his vast experience, strength and hope about things at the heart and tangential (as is this story of God attacking Moses) to Jesus following. I highly reccomend it.

What God Does

Strange isn't it, that Joseph tells Pharoah that through his dreams God is telling him what God is about to do (Genesis 41:25). How very odd that God brings famine and plenty. I'm wondering if Joseph didn't get it precisely right. Was God telling Pharoah what God was going to do or what was going to happen? That sure makes more sense to me. And yet I am sure whatever God decides to do does not wait on whether or not it makes sense to me. Either way this story points to the wisdom and omnipotence of God. Ultimately God is in control. Even though it seems strange to me and my mind can't comprehend why God would cause seven years of famine, if God wanted to do it, God could. And from what I have learned about God through my relationship with Jesus I trust that. It all comes back to that one question God continues to ask me about everything-absolutely everything: "Do you trust me now?" If our answer is "yes" then we have to let God be God and act on trust by continuing to invest faith (trust and loyalty) no matter what. My "yes" to God is all that keeps the relationship fresh and alive.

Associating With Sinners

The joke of course is that we are all sinners. Well, I won't speak for you (but you are one!). My favorite story in the bible is the story of the prodigal father in Luke 15. To me it so clearly reveals the character of God. It is the same God who hung on the cross and asked that everyone in the mob (where I was standing at the time) be forgiven because they didn't know what they were doing. Jesus himself was reflecting that same character when he associated with "tax collectors and other notorious sinners." It says they came to hear him teach, but they would not have been able to unless they were welcomed by him, and they would not know they would be welcomed by him unless he had already encountered some of them and they had felt his welcome already (and passed the word to other notorious sinners). Jesus came not only to reveal who God is, but also to call us to who God has made us to become. In welcoming notorious sinners he was showing us how to spread his teaching, his love. Old school religion taught me to avoid notorious sinners lest I become one. Jesus shows me that unless I befriend those who appear to be far from God they may miss him-and that would be a shame-and one that I as a Jesus follower would need to share.

In Your Face

Again Jesus counters the narrowmindedness of religion with love. For Jesus love trumps religion everytime. He keeps doing this over and over. It seems obvious to us that what he is doing is the right thing to do (tossing aside some strict rule in order to serve up specific love) but he keeps doing it, and in the face of the religious patent holders. He's not trying to offend them; he's trying to teach them something. He's trying to free them (and all those under their influence). I think that what is so obvious to us is absolutely revolutionary to them because their "faith" has so ossified by their take on religion. Their religion has become molded into the idol of their faith. Of course this is not an ancient and now completely solved issue. Some who follow Jesus have taken his acts and words of love and ossified them into a strict and unbending religion. And for them religion trumps love everytime-except on those ocassions (and I've seen it happen a few times) when the rule is breaking their heart or spirit, and then I've seen the most hardened religious patent holder break down, experience a breakthrough and accept love. If only they would be able to do it without their own hearts or spirits being almost broken. They might not be the cause of breaking the hearts and spirits of others and could actually be the occasion for preventing the same in others.

Beware The Rule Pushers

"Beware the yeast of the Pharasees-their hypocrisy." I titled this "Beware the Rule Pushers" because Jesus is calling attention to the fact that though the Pharasees push many many rules and regulations about religion onto people, they themselves do not keep them. Their hypocrisy is that they "act" like the rules and regs are paramount, but they do not live that way. Actually it would be impossible to live that way. The warning of Jesus is that trying to live that way is like adding an ingredient to life that will affect everything else about it (like yeast affect dough). He is calling for us to stay focused on the fact that the way to approach God is by beginning and continuing a relationship with God. And once we are building that personal relationship with God (through prayer, bible reading, doing what we learn, listening to that still small counsel of God within us) we continue to focus on the relationship with God. What happens far too often is that people calcify their experiences with God and turn them into their own personal relgion (so as not to need to continue dealing with God personally). The rest of what Jesus says in Luke 12 is in context of his warning. He celebrates the joy of a deep and abiding relationship of love with God and warns about the consequences of not building that relationship. His warning is always about substituting anything for the relationship we can have with God. It's harder than following or creating a relgion, but so much more satisfying-ultimately and forever.

Gift of Healing

Jesus gives power and authority to his disciples to cast out demons and to heal all diseases. Wow! I believe that whatever Jesus gave those disciples, he gives us today. In chapter 9 of Luke there is a lot of emphasis on the healing done by the disciples. And later on (vs. 37-41) Jesus seems frustrated by someone who brings their sick child to him to be healed. He seems to have expected the one bringing him to have had the power himself to heal the child. I'm guessing that person was a Jesus follower (but maybe not). Scientific study and critical thinking in the age of the Enlightenment spent a lot of time and energy trying to negate the claims of Jesus following faith about the power of prayer for healing. In huge measures the church (except for fringe loonies ;>) ) bought into that thinking. In doing so did we rob the Lord of many opportunities to show his power and authority over disease by our lack of faith? I think we did. God doesn't need our partnership to bring healing, but Jesus teaches that God wants our partnership in the process. Today science is much more open to the power of human thought (especially empathy) to bring healing. Way too many in the church are still stuck in Enlightenment thinking about prayer and healing. That was the 18th century folks. Let's come into the 21st century with regards to science, and much more importantly with regards to our Jesus following and the empowerment he gives us to pray for healing. Of course, physical healing doesn't happen everytime we pray for it. But many times when we do, it does. And why would we let our lack of faith keep someone from getting the physical joy the Lord wants them to have and is wanting to send through us? The reason I ask only those who believe in the power of prayer for physical healing to come and lay hands on someone during our celebrations is because I believe there is a component of human power to prayer (certainly not determinative, but absolutely cooperative), and I don't want those who do not believe in that act specifically to be a drag on the combined heart and soul power of those who do. Now let's get to those demons!

The story in Genesis 22 is a keen foreshadowing if the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf. It was a test of Abraham's faith, and once demonstated, his son Isaac was spared. Isaac was actually not the only son of Abraham (Ishmael had just been sent away because of the jealousy of Sarah) yet the Lord calls him that. And the words pre-echo the gift of Jesus for our sakes: "You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son." That was a supreme show of faith by Abraham. For God to offer his only Son (when of course God also has other sons and daughters-you and me for example), and then to actually go through with the sacrifice for our sakes, shows Supreme faith in us by the Father. Faith, as we define it in the Heartsong tribe, is trust and loyalty invested. What amazing trust and loyalty the Father has invested in us by making his only Son the sacrifice for our sins! God has faith in us! Amazing! God's faith in us is that we can, by God, become who were were sent to this earth by God to become. "Dear Lord, make us worthy of the sacrifice you have made for us-not that we would ever be able to do enough to re-pay you for the gift you have given us in Jesus, but that we would die trying."

A Personal Relationship With Jesus

What struck me today was in Luke 7. In response to the faith of the Roman officer Jesus said, "I tell you, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel." Odd. I'm sure there was a lot of faith in Israel. Faith was bred into them from the moment of their birth. But obviously it was not the kind of faith Jesus found amazing. I'm guessing that the faith which was plentiful in Israel (and still today) was a faith in an inherited religion-a system of belief in God that includes prescriptions, rules and regulations about how to approach God and life. In cases like that it is awfully easy to have faith in the religion-instead of faith in the God of that religion. What was amazing to Jesus is that the Roman officer shared none of the religious faith of Israel but demonstrated a great deal of faith in the person of Jesus himself. He got personal with his faith. He invested trust in Jesus personally. That is what amazed Jesus. The whole point of the religion of Israel was to point people in the direction of a personal relationship with God, not to make the religion an end in itself. I found this reading to be deeply encouraging about the approach to Jesus following we offer at Heartsong. We are not a religious people-not because religion in itself is bad, but because it is mostly someone else's. What Jesus following really is in not a religion but a relationship. And each one of us has to pursue our own personal relationship with Jesus. That might not amaze him anymore, but it will sure be amazing to us. I know that it continues to be for me.

Happy New Year

Welcome to the Life Journal Blog. I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you as we journey together in the Life Journal.