I'm bad, you're bad, John Piper is bad?

I came across this video a few months ago. I don't know why I like it. Maybe because I like John Piper and maybe because I grew up liking Michael Jackson.

Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell

I am not quite sure how to review this book. It was an easy read, I liked it, but I'm not sure what I think about it. Does this make any sense?

I'll give it a shot anyway.

If I had to pick out one of the themes of this book it is that the Christian faith is always "reforming". Rob Bell is clear that he does not believe that biblical truths change but our understanding of those truths change - or reform. He cites the Reformation and Martin Luther as an example of this type of ongoing reforming.

I'm not sure what to think about this concept. There is some validity here but it is also an idea that could be abused. Many cults probably started by the leader changing the explanation of  the truth behind the scriptures to meet their own means.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think for a second that Rob Bell is doing this. It just makes me nervous - not that nervous is a bad thing. I think what Bell is saying is that we should not be afraid to study doctrine and question doctrine in light of scripture. A quote he likes to use is, "God has spoken and the rest is commentary."

I do think he made a poor choice of the virgin birth as an example of this questioning of doctrine. The scenario he used was far fetched so this example only serves to have mainstream evangelicals get up in arms. Bell affirms that he believes in the virgin birth. However, I think using this extreme example gets people side tracked on an otherwise valid point.

In chapter six, "New", Bell talks about our sin and the necessity for a new birth. He does not talk about it in terms one may have learned in Sunday school so this too may make more conservative evangelicals raise their eyebrows. However, I do like the point he makes that eternal life is not just about life after death. Jesus says that eternal life is to know God. Christians too often focus on heaven and neglect God's Kingdom now.

Overall I enjoyed Velvet Elvis and it was spiritually edifying to me. It really made me think. Am I just doing the church thing, or am I really living as Jesus calls me to live? Am I impacting the Kingdom in my life?

A New Day

Psalms 3:5 (ESV)
⁵ I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.

I have often struggled reading the Psalms in the past.  Mostly because many are laments of David's struggles and I often feel like I can't relate to people wanting to kill me.

However, I'm getting better at appreciating God's voice in these Psalms.  This verse hits home for me.  Everyday that I wake up is a new day God has given me.  Why has God blessed me with a new day?  So that He can work through me today for His good pleasure (Phil 2:13) which in turn blesses me with pleasure as well.  One day it may be to face a horrific challenge.  One day it may be to just enjoy the day that He has given me.

The point is, I went to bed and I awoke again, only by the grace of God for his good pleasure.  How do I please God today so that I may join Him in His pleasure?

What Am I On The Earth For?

Do you ever ask yourself this question?  Did you come up with a good answer?  Do you know why you are here?  Do you know your purpose in life?

I think the older we get, the more important this question becomes to us.  Some may say that's quite tragic.  If we have a purpose in life, wouldn't it be much better to know that purpose when we're 20 rather than figuring it out when we're 60? 

I agree, it's tragic if you squander your purpose for your first 20 years of your life (I think I squandered much more than 20).  However, I'm not sure that means you don't still have a unique purpose at 60.

The problem is that the younger we are, the less we seem to care about a true purpose.  As we get older and see the end starting to approach, we naturally get more reflective.

There are quite a number of people and groups (religions, etc.) that will gladly offer to help you find your purpose.  I did a Google search and here is a small sampling:

Personal Development Expert, Steve Pavlina - write down any self-purpose you can think of on a piece of paper.  Keep doing this until something you write down resonates with you so deeply that you cry.
Bahá'í Faith- In summary, the spiritual reason for our life on earth is to provide us with a training ground; our life is a period of growth during which we focus on the development of our innate spiritual and intellectual capacities.
Want to Know . info - ...you can start to find and develop your own purpose and intentions by stopping for a moment and asking yourself two questions: "What is most important to me in my life? What are my deepest values and beliefs?" Consider inviting divine guidance and your own inner wisdom to help you with this.
Atheist, Aaron Ross Powell - The atheist, on the other hand, sees this life, the one each of us is currently living, as all we get. Death is final. Thus we need to make the most of life and instill great value in every moment because those moments are of limited quantity.
Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren - The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.

You'll notice that the first four statements are more about "you" and the statement from Rick Warren is more about "God".  However, even with the "Purpose Driven Life" explanation, there is still an open question.  If my purpose is for God's purpose, then what is God's purpose?  Does he have a purpose or a task, specifically for me?

Personally, I believe God does have a specific purpose and specific tasks for each of us.  However, I'm not sure we'll ever know all of God's plans for us on this earth until after our time here is done.  I don't think we'll know everything because part of our purpose is to keep seeking.  The key is to seek from God, and he'll make his purpose for you today, known to you today, while tomorrow brings a whole new adventure.

Matthew 6:33-34 (ESV)
³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
³⁴ "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Jesus is talking about God providing your daily necessities if you seek God's kingdom and his righteousness today.  I don't think I am stretching the context here to make my point.  Isn't knowing your purpose in life, a necessity of life?

Enough preaching...

This is an open question for everyone, Christians and non-Christians alike.  We all are searching for meaning to our life.

So what's your definition of the purpose of life?  More importantly, what is your specific purpose for being here?  Have you thought about it?  Are you searching for it?  Have you found it?

What if the Church Was Invisible?

I came across this great post about the church, or rather what the church shouldcould be. Jeromy from Mending Shift has graciously allowed me to re-post it over here on Seeking Things Above. Let me know what you think. If this message resonates with you, drop by and visit Mending Shift and give Jeromy a shout.

What if we, as the church, were invisible? What if we had no church buildings? No signs declaring a church location? No denominations or headquarters? No mega weekend gatherings? No Christian radio presence? No Christian stores? No Christian bumper stickers or other outward personal identifying stuff? What if the Yellow Pages didn’t have a “church” category and if you Googled “church” it came up with no search results? What if there was no such “thing” as the church? Would there still be a church?

What if we, as the church, were invisible? What if we simply lived the life of Jesus, speaking and displaying his love to the people we knew and came in contact with on a daily basis? What if we as followers of Jesus simply did just that? What if we gathered quietly in homes to break bread and encourage each other in Christ; where our goal would be to simply live as agents of God’s restoration, serving God and the “other” in real and tangible ways? What if church were not a weekend thing, but a people who radically lived behind the cultural scenes bringing God’s kingdom to earth?

What if God’s church was more like a tiny mustard seed instead of trying to be the biggest oak tree on the hill? What if Jesus’ church was more like a tiny amount of yeast…itself unnoticed, yet quietly transforming and restoring people and, in turn, culture? What if the Holy Spirit’s church sought to be the last and the least—a servant? What if the church daily sought self-death—dying to itself and loosing its life in order to find it—instead of doing all it can to save its life? What if God’s church chose to sit down in the least honored seat of society and culture, instead of clamoring and fighting for the most prestigious one? What if the church “thing” disappeared and all that was left was the church—people who realize they are forgiven and loved by God and who actively want to be a part of his restorative and healing work in lives of other’s?

In other words, what if the church was invisible—or even better: visible, yet invisible? What if?

Fear and Rejoicing

Psalms 2:11 (ESV)
¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

If God is love, why would I need to serve Him with fear or rejoice in Him with trembling?  This does not sound like love.  I certainly don't want my children being obedient to me only because of fear?

The context of this verse is God looking at an evil world with evil rulers.  God sends his Son, Jesus Christ, to establish a new kingdom and the world's rulers need to recognize the Son as their ruler, or face God's wrath.

Since I'm not a king, does this verse apply to me?

You bet it does.  In my sinful nature, who is "the man"?  I'm the man.  It's about me.  Even if I am a generous man, it is about my causes.  In my sinful nature, it's not about God.

In my sinful nature (that I struggle with daily):

God is there.  Jesus is there.  However, I take both for granted, because I am "the man."  God loves me because that is who He is. He has to love me, regardless of my choices and my lifestyle.  That's why he died for me.  Because he loves me and of course, a loving God, will save me.

Now, I may not really be so bold in my minimizing who God really is, as in my sarcastic dialog above.  However, do I really sit back and meditate on how awesome, gigantic, inspiring, perfect and powerful God really is?

I have no right to any grace and mercy from God.  I shun him every time I have a selfish thought, every time I have a jealous impulse, every time my eyes linger on a provocative billboard, every time I speak a word that breaks down someone rather than edify them, every time I make myself and my cause the main thing. 

Yes, God has given me grace and mercy by the sacrificing of His own Son.  But I don't deserve it.  Everyday, I need to hold onto that grace and mercy with fear and trembling - and rejoice!

Scripture Thursday Participants

1. GPARTHA 2. vikki at Livin' the Life

3. carol 4. mel avila alarilla

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Radical Christianity

About six years ago, I was sitting with my then four-year old son watching TV.  On the screen they showed one of the recently captured terrorist.  His hair was ruffled, his eyes were puffy, and he looked like an overall wreck.  To me, he looked like he was breathing, so he looked like he was doing too well.  My four-year old on the other hand, he asks, "Do you think that man knows that God loves him?"

Wow.  I remember thinking back then how awesome it was that God can speak directly to your heart through your own child.  I'd like to say that I've been praying for terrorists for the past six years but that would be a lie.  My epiphany on loving my enemies lasted all of a day or two.

How can I love someone that would kill innocent women and children?  How can I love someone, that if I was ever in the wrong place, at the wrong time, they would kill me and my family because I'm an American or because I worship Jesus and not Allah?  How could God ask me to do that?

I guess maybe...because the cross is bigger than their sin...and without the cross...my sin is just as great.

I blogroll this site called, There's Something Deep Inside.  On it there's a post about this site called, Adopt a Terrorist for Prayer.  This brought back memories of when God spoke to me about loving my enemies through the innocent eyes of my son

Now this is radical Christianity.