Just some random thoughts that I can't quite figure out how to work together into one cohesive blog. So - I'll just toss'em out there.
First, after a brief discussion today with some fellow ministers about our unity with our Christian Church brethren, I kept having one thought go through my radical brain. "I will be so glad when we stop defining ourselves by our man-made Protestant mass mentality, and start defining ourselves by how much we desire to be like Jesus." There - I said it. And here's another thought to chew on. I need to start seeing my brethren as any honest seeker of Jesus. If that's not part of Hebrews 11:6, our view of faith will always be enslaved to legalism.
Secondly, one of my sub-points in my lesson last Sunday, upon reflection and prayer, has come back to haunt me as another one of those incredibly powerful moments of clarity that I can only call a "God-moment". In discussing the need for us to BE REAL and be willing to go to a cross and sacrifice ourselves like Jesus did - because the goal it to be like Him - I stated "It's all about the will not the work!" The revelation was simply that this sums up what the church has been doing wrong for centuries. The institution promotes work, uses work to define faithfulness, and measures itself by that same work. It hasn't been very effective and is rapidly becoming even less effective. We must affect the will! Is there a desire to be like Jesus? If classes, sermons, small groups, ministries, and whatever else we do isn't bringing people into a deeper relationship with Jesus - which increases the desire to be like Him - then we're still trying to grease the machine.
Thirdly, why do I want to see Green Bay win it all? I think I just really want to see Brett win. I like his style.
Is that random enough for ya?
4 comments:
random? wild? vintage Root!! Again we are glad that we "tuned in" at the right time to get some more of the Mike Root that we love. Great food for thought. And we love Brett too...........
Ready to go back to Disney???
Disney?? Did someone say Disney? We're going back to Disney?? I can be packed in 20 minutes! :)
Dad- I liked all of your thoughts but the second one really resonated with me. Barna has just revealed some research on "thinking like Jesus" where he did some research on how and why believers make the choices they do. Barna adds, and I tend to agree, that believers ought to move from head to heart as they increasingly "think like Jesus." On another of your points, I find it interesting that the older anyone gets the list of "important things" grows smaller. Maybe this is at the heart of the Jesus creed- love God and love people. Hearing your comment on loving others int he name of seeking Jesus, this seems to be the over-arching goal. By the way, I loved the story of not getting a shot off because you were holding a camera. Couldn't this parallel our own past sectarian spirit? "The whole time we were holding our Bibles the world was walking all around us- yet, we were paralzed to do anything because we were caught holding the wrong weapon." Great thought. Great post. I love to think alongside of you. Thansk a ton for giving your daughter away almost 10 years ago- she is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Sorry about the marathon post. . .
I love it when people say things that I've been saying too. When Jesus was asked what the most important command ever given was he said two things: Love God. Love people. If more christians could figure that out, a lot of the borders and boundries we've set up in our minds would just sort of fizzle away.
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