Welcome to the Resistance

Between A Rock and a Hard Place

2010-07-06T13:03:00.000-04:00

This post isn't normal, Faithful Reader (if your out there). It is, in fact, my current life state and, in part, a message to a sister.

I want to get out of here. I want to leave and go back to the State to which I'm called; the Revolution is ripe for the picking there. I'm going nowhere around here. The wall is back up, and I'm running into it. Yet, the Lord won't move me. I even have job opportunities elsewhere that would bring me further into the work of Christianity. It's thoroughly frustrating.

On top of my own frustrations, my Sister (from The Spirit Connection)is going though a hard time and I have to sit back and let it happen. She can't even communicate to me and all of our friends in this time of hardship. She's been cut off. If you remember from the last post, I share a very strong connection to her. I wonder if something happened to her yesterday, as while I was eating breakfast I was struck with an insane feeling in my body and almost passed out from it. I thought of her when it happened. Still I wonder......

My situation of frustration, readers, will work itself out. But as for my Sister, I don't know. All I know is this: She's missing something. Things have went the way they have because she's missed something crucial. You see, she neglected to tell me some key details concerning her predicament. Now that I know these things, I am a wreck over her sometimes. Work keeps me busy, but my thoughts don't stay dormant, and my spirit never sleeps.

Sister, PLEASE be careful. I love you, and need you to come out of this. I pray constantly for it all to work. But it's hard to do so when I've seen you crash and burn so many times before. whatever it is you're thinking about doing, don't do it. I miss you. WE miss you. But we will see you again, won't we? Yes, we will. Things will be right again.

The Resistance will move on as scheduled.

The Spirit Connection

2010-06-24T18:10:00.002-04:00

I just thought I'd would share with all of you a neat way in which God has worked things out for me and another person in the past twenty-four hours.

You see, I have this friend who is like a sister to me. We have shared many things, from laughter to horrible heartache and strife. Needless to say, we've been though a lot. I have found that when you are really in tune with another person, the Holy Spirit will establish a spiritual connection between you and this person. I have a strong connection to my sister here.

Now, circumstances and callings have pulled us away from one another for a time, but we have kept in touch and in each others prayers. Our connection, however, will sometimes bring things to our attention. About three weeks ago, I was just going about my day when I felt a great sorrow come over me. I knew it was because my sister was in some kind of struggle or despair. So, after praying, I text her. No reply. I tried calling. Also, no reply. I check Facebook and find I have been deleted from her friends. This is unprecedented. I try for three weeks straight to get a hold of her, praying and asking God to let me know what was up. Three weeks, no avail.

I go to a special service last night at North Cleveland Church of God, For some reason, amongst the hundreds of people there, I knew I would somehow find her there. All that day and throughout the service I prayed that if I was supposed to find her there, I would. God would lead me straight to her. I sit though the service, then when the altar service begins, I went up to help pray for the masses of people that had responded.

I begin to move though all the people, praying only for those I felt I was supposed to. I made it all the way to the side opposite of where I was sitting. As I was wrapping up praying with a youth, I look to my left. A girl was standing there, arms raised and mascara running from where she and been crying. She looked over and our eyes met.

It was her.

After a fierce embrace, we began to pray. It wasn't until later that I heard the tale of everything that had happened to her. I would share it here, but I would be betraying confidences. I will tell you this: she is ok and everything is turning around. And I got the answers I sought. God knocked many things out in one encounter.

Isn't God awesome?

Resistance Transmission #4.5: The Resistance and the Call to Discipleship

2010-06-22T00:58:00.001-04:00

"Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church."

German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote Jesus said that if any ma these words sometime before he was martyred by the Nazis in 1945. His book, "The Cost of Discipleship," opens with those very words. How very true they are.

You see, the Church has allowed the doctrine of Grace to become one of Cheap Grace. Well, what does that mean? To begin with, it means that the Grace which Christ has provided for us costs us nothing when, in fact, it should cost us everything to receive that Grace. We think that we can do whatever and however we please because the Cross of Christ has taken care of everything. We have nothing to worry about and we can live our lives like everyone else, right?

WRONG.

Jesus says that whoever wants to follow him will pay a price (Luke 9:23). Grace is costly. Let me repeat that for those of you who didn't catch that. GRACE IS COSTLY!!!!! Cheap grace undermines the gift of salvation and destroys the message of Christ. Your grace DOES have a high cost. Following Christ will COST YOU EVERYTHING!!! Look at the Twelve, the first ones ever to be recruited into the Resistance. They had to leave everything and everyone behind. They gave their lives TO THE POINT OF DEATH to follow Christ.

Being in the Resistance, being a true Christian. will require you to lay down your entire life. If you aren't willing, get out. Christ said that we are either hot or cold; to be lukewarm will cause him to spit us out (Rev. 3:15- 16). Just know, friends, that following Christ means saving grace, but at a very high cost.

"When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Resistance Transmission # 4: The Resistance as a Call to Holiness, or Walking the Opposite Way

2010-06-20T14:07:00.000-04:00

Begin Transmission

Upon my return to this cyber world, I wish to bring you another tenet of our revolution.

Oh, a brand new insight?

Not quite.

Friends, know that nothing I speak here is of any real originality. I am merely a messenger for the Head of the Resistance, the Lord Jesus Christ. And today, I bring you insight from Him concerning the Opposite Way.

As Christians, members of the Resistance, we try to live a life in the World, but not of it. sad to say, most of us are unsuccessful. We do not know how to live a lifestyle called Holiness. It was a lifestyle lived by Christ and the early Church. It is with great sadness I now say that the Church as it is now is no longer ekklesia (those called out) but rather it has started to blend with the World. Theologies have broken down, the message of Christ has been cheapened, and the Church no longer looks like the Church. We have departed from Holiness.

Now Holiness is not a code or a set of rules that we must follow, contrary to popular belief. In fact, true Holiness is born from the single greatest force in existence: Love. Love of God and love for people. Walking in Holiness means seeking God's heart on every matter in your life. You don't do certain things because God's heart will break and you do certain things because it touches His heart.

Holiness is born out of love. When you are so in love with God and desire to be so close to Him that every action is done with Him in mind. Crazy idea, right? That's why it works. It helps us walk the Opposite Way. You see, being closer to God and living in His Holiness causes you, no, REQUIRES you to walk a completely different direction from everyone and everything else. There are those of you who are reading this and you are sick of normal existence. Tired of the grind, and the ridiculous notions of our wayward society. The Resistance, true Christianity, goes the Opposite Way. If you have not learned this, open the Resistance Manual (the Bible) and see the revolutionary writings and teachings of the Founders of the Resistance.

Romans 12:2 speaks of the Opposite Way. Paul tells us not to be conformed to the World, but instead to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. I challenge you, today. Renew your mind. Render your heart. walk the Opposite Way alongside Christ and countless others. Stand up and resist the patterns of this world. Join the Resistance.

In my next Resistance Transmission, I want to speak to you all of another call: a Call to Discipleship.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."- Philippians 4: 8-9

Grace and Peace

*End Transmisson

The Great Hiatus, or Why I haven't Been Posting

2010-06-16T13:28:00.000-04:00

Obviously, I haven't been on here in a long time. Life happened, and as usual, I have been incapacitated from my blogging duties. Rest assured, I am now in the process of returning to The Resistance with fresh insight, stories, and other random life quips. There is much to write and plenty to cover. So, in short, I am back to provide those of you who walk the Opposite Way with more fuel and drive to keep you walking in your destined direction.

See you again, very soon.

"How's a Raven Like a Writing Desk?": A Review of Alice in Wonderland

2010-03-07T01:26:00.001-05:00

Earlier tonight, I went to see Tim Burton’s new movie, Alice in Wonderland. Let me tell you, I enjoyed it very much. This movie definitely warrants a Resistance Movie Review. So strap in everyone, and don’t drink unfamiliar substances, even if they do say: DRINK ME.

So, let me start by saying that this wasn’t the typical, ghastly dark film that you would expect to see come from the legendarily eccentric Tim Burton. For all you moviegoers who don’t roll with Tim Burton, give this one a chance. Sure there were a few things that were total giveaways for Burton, but all-in-all this movie was definitely user-friendly. This leads me to the next point. Should parents take kids to see this movie? The answer depends on the child. There is nothing inappropriate contained in this movie that would prevent families from being able to see it together. However, be warned that a few characters and creatures might scare smaller children.

Now, to the real matter at hand: Did this movie do justice to the original book and classic Disney cartoon? My answer for you is not a simple yes or no. You see, this film was never intended to provide a remake of or sequel to the original movie. Burton sought to provide a more connected story with this film, an element that the original film lacked. He used elements from all three Lewis Carroll works concerning Alice: “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” “Through the Looking Glass,” and the poem, “Jabberwocky.” I feel like fans of the original movie and books will enjoy Burton’s adaptation.

Overall, Alice in Wonderland was a very entertaining move. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good time. Resistance Movie Review gives Alice in Wonderland 8.5 out of 10.

The Small Things: A Lesson from Toy Story

2010-03-05T22:13:00.000-05:00

As I write this, I am watching the movie Toy Story.

Yes, you heard me. Toy Story.

My friends and I had gathered for a game of Risk. The first one to be eliminated from the game decided to put on Toy Story in order to occupy him while the game continued. As the movie progressed, our Risk game slowed. Turns were talking much longer than usual (for those who have played Risk, you know how long they can take) due to the fact that Toy Story was stealing our attention. Needless to say, the game ended soon after the movie began.

Now, I cannot speak for my friends and how they feel when they see this movie, but I for one was transported back into my past. I remembered my elementary days. I was picked up early from school by my parents one day. Upon getting in the car, they told me I was going to a movie. My excitement level was though the roof. Now I see that it wasn’t that big of a deal, but at the time it meant the world to me.

Academics, jobs, and other stresses in life tend to take a lot of joy from our lives. We wait for the big breaks and big nights out to provide relief. I gonna risk sounding cliché here. Sometimes, it’s the little things that get you through most days. There are a ton of people in a ton of places with an even bigger load of problems. But there’s always some little thing that comes along and gives you a little bit of a relief. It may not be a movie. It could be a song you hear. A phase that is quoted. A picture that was taken.

Remember to take comfort in the little things. Sure, this may sound ridiculous now, but I guarantee that after you read this post, you’ll walk out the door and unexpectedly find some little thing that will make you smile and restore your joy, if even for a fleeting moment, in this world that seems to slip further into pure chaos every day.

When you lose yourself in the chaos, God will always provide at least a modicum of joy that will remind you that there is hope and peace still attainable in this world.

The Lee Clarion: To Be Or Not To Be?

2010-03-05T02:16:00.001-05:00

As some of you might have noticed, I have a little bit of an interest in writing. A few people have told me in past few days that I would make a great addition to the content of the school newspaper, the Lee Clarion. Taking this into consideration, I have decided that it is indeed something I would like to pursue. I have been in contact with the editor recently and am currently waiting for another reply. In the meantime, I would like your thoughts.

What do you think? Should I write for this newspaper? If you aren't sure, read through some earlier posts and decide for yourself. In addition to this, what category would you like to see me write in? News? Life? Opinion? Sports? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

University Issues, or Addressing Fridays at Lee.

2010-03-02T23:52:00.000-05:00

This post is a little more unusual than most. Rarely do I directly address problems and happenings at Lee University, of which I am a student. I have let my friend and colleague, Matt Smith, do that. However, something disturbing going on around campus has prompted to me to act. For those of you who aren’t aware, I am referring to the nefarious blog, Fridays at Lee.

This blog is laced with personal attacks. Sure, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but these posts go beyond that. They directly attack specific people and do everything they can to discredit students and faculty. They do so with vulgar language and contentious intentions. They have caused a firestorm here, and have remained anonymous to avoid the administration.

I have decided to speak out. As a student and a Christian, I find that these things said by Fridays at Lee are directly in contradiction to the Word of God. All the blog does is tear down, berate, and belittle. This, in of itself, should speak to its credibility (or lack thereof). I will also go out on a limb and defend those who voice their honest opinions on campus. Fridays at Lee has been attacking other Lee bloggers haphazardly. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but no one is entitled to attack another people’s reputations. That is about the only thing an individual has the right to damage for themselves.

So, Fridays at Lee, in short, it tearing down the Lee community. This needs to stop. All the gossip, slandering and backbiting must cease. Such has no place on this campus. I will not support or condone things said by those who have no interest in REAL truth. I will stand with the administration and students who have already taken a stand in this matter.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

Grace and Peace

Greg

Resistance Transmission #3: Pain and the Intersection.

2010-01-02T04:57:00.003-05:00

*Begin Transmission*

The year 2009 was a horrible year for a lot of people. I know personally it was the most trying year of my life. Even news networks are saying the same thing. From finances to relationships, 2009 seemed like doom was coming to us all. Most of us often times forgot that we have Christ, the all sufficient Savior. I do admit, it is hard to keep your focus, especially when your world is turned upside down. Let me give you some examples:

• A college junior finds out that his mother has both breast and lung cancer. Treatment of one will interfere with treatment of the other. As the doctors find out what to do, he is consumed by depression. Being at home kills him, yet being away from home causes him to feel guilty. Life, it seems, is bringing on the pain.

• A 17 year old girl goes to a dry party, only to have the host shove her into a room and rape her. She’s a virgin, and as he begins she realizes she can’t overpower him. She asks that he at least uses protection. He laughs at her and refuses, carrying out the deed. He yells at her as she cries, and leaves her alone when finished. She is left feeling used, broken, and in physical and emotional pain. Ashamed, she goes home, scared to tell a soul and scared she may be pregnant. She has nowhere to turn.

• A college freshman has her world shattered when her ex-boyfriend publishes a revealing note on Facebook in an incompetent attempt to apologize to friends. Not only do her parents find this, but so does everyone on the Internet. Public embarrassment, severe depression, and near expulsion from a Christian university builds up. She feels alone. Everyone treats her like a whore. On top of this, the ex’s parents begin to harass her. Things begin to worsen, and it seems all hell has come for a visit.

All three are real events that happened to real people in 2009. There are many more, better and worse, but these are just to name a few. Yet, I did not mention one thing. All three of these people have found that despite their sufferings, the sufferings of Christ will get them through. He was all they had left. They defied the Corrupt System. They are part of the Resistance. They learned from James by realizing that all these things made them stronger (James 1:2-3). In turn, they have saved lives and helped others because they themselves survived their darkest moments. They found the intersection of the Boulevard of Broken Dreams and the Narrow Way. They saw that Christ had crossed the Boulevard as He established the Way. He made an alternative route for us, so that we didn’t have to walk the Boulevard that the Corrupt System has to offer. These people became guides though the Boulevard and led others to the Way. All because Christ died and made the Way.

I don’t know what most of you have went through this past year. But I can tell you this: HOLD ON. You cannot give up. If you have not found the Way, you will. You sufferings can be shared and even taken away by Christ. In Him you can find rest.
This was not intended to be a long post, but rather a short encouragement for the coming year. I pray that you all will find blessings in the hope of Christ during 2010. May Christ be with you always.

Grace and Peace.

*End Transmission*

The Adventures of Robert Langdon or, Books I Shouldn't Read....Yea Right....

2009-11-19T19:29:00.001-05:00

I have recently borrowed a copy of Dan Brown's new novel, "The Lost Symbol." As fan of Brown's novels featuring Harvard Symbology Professor Robert Langdon, and as a poor college student, I have anxiously waited to borrow this book from my good friend and colleague, Matt Smith. As I began to read, my mind remembered that certain people would be displeased with my reading of this book. Why?

Because they are tragically closed-minded.

You see, when The Da Vinci Code was released, it caused a HUMONGOUS controversy. I mean, people arguing about it's validity left and right, sermons preached on it, and numerous people telling me not to read it. So, what do I do with all of this? The answer is simple: I read the book. I greatly enjoyed the plot and pace of the novel. It was extremely thought-provoking. Sure, it included things about the Church and Jesus Christ that were totally untrue. And this is the reason most told me to stay away from it. Yet, to everyone who says that The Da Vinci Code, as well as other books starring Robert Langdon, shouldn't be read by Christians, let me say this: IT IS FICTION.

How else can Christians know about the truth of their faith if they also do not examine false claims against it? Now, I realize that if a young Christian(meaning young in faith, not just age) reads and is confused, why, this is the only danger that these books present. But, that is why there are the offices of the Church. Christians are free to explore outside ideas and contrary ideas in order to strengthen their faith. It is up to the leaders of the Church to make sure that these ideas to not sway believers. Discipleship is the process of learning and growing in the faith, and it is the leaders' jobs to disciple (Eph.4:. I believe people should be encouraged to check things out for themselves and put them against Scripture. This is what I did with The Da Vinci Code. I read it, saw that the story was good but the claims were heretical and untrue in regards to the Scriptures. Also, I do not believe that you can attack something you do not know about. This is so your really are informed AND people can't deny your claims based on the fact that you don't know because you haven't read, watched, etc.

We should face these intellectual challenges with faith, not fideism. Fideism is the notion that we accept things based sole on what others say. In other words, it is blind acceptance. You accept things not based on fact, but on what others simply say. You just go with it. Faith is educated. Faith is not blind acceptance(see previous post, What is faith?). Check things out for yourself, but remember to take the lens of Scripture with you.

I'll probably put a book review up as soon as I finish The Lost Symbol. In the meantime, go grab some Scripture....and a good book. :)

Resistance Transmission #2: Midnight at the Fountain of Eternal Flame or, The Resistance Manifesto

2009-11-13T03:43:00.000-05:00

*Begin Transmission*

Lee University has just recently built a new fountain on campus. Water flows from the top over a brick column. From there, it comes to a central tier before flowing over into the bottom pool. At the very top is a censer from which a fire burns right over the water. So, the water is flowing from underneath the flame. I was thinking and walking around campus a few nights ago, and at about midnight I found myself in front of this particular fountain. The fire was raging from its censer as the water swiftly crashed over the bricks and into the pool below. It really was quite a sight for me in light of my midnight musings. Parallels began to form, yet remained incomplete until later in the night. After spending some time there to hold conversations with the Father, I felt I should move on.

I eventually made my way over to the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, located right next to Lee’s campus. There is a very calm, quiet garden in the center of the seminary. And what is in this garden? There are some trees, flowers, benches, and…..a fountain. This fountain is larger than Lee’s Eternal Flame Fountain. However, the flow from the top of this fountain had been shut off. The water had become still and stagnant. There was complete silence. As I began to ponder this, I dipped the tips of my middle three fingers into the water. They came away black. I wiped them on my jeans, picked up my backpack and headed on my way.

These two fountains came to represent two distinct facets within the ideals of The Resistance. The Eternal Flame Fountain became a picture of the True Church. It was alive, active, burning, forceful, and captivating. Anyone passing by would give at least a grain of attention to its nature. The True Church should be all these things and more, the roaring sound of truth lighting the way in the darkness of this Corrupt System. The fire is the power of God, and the water the rush of the Holy Spirit. Sadly, this is not so. You see, the Corrupt System has infiltrated and infected the True Church, leaving her battered, bruised, and frail. Instead of being the wonderful fountain of Eternal Flame, she is nothing than the dark, dank, silent Fountain of Stagnation. This has come through division, complacency, apathy, and over all slumber in the Church. It is for this reason that The Resistance exists.

We must reclaim the actions and practices of the True Church. No longer can we sit idly by and twiddle our thumbs while we pretend the world isn’t going to Hell. No longer can we call ourselves Christians and leave the actions to the preachers. If we are to be the True Church, then we must rise up. The Resistance is made up of those in Christianity who wish to see the True Church restored. We must reclaim the actions of love and humility in ministry, as well as the sound, stable Traditions of the True Church. The Resistance exists not to destroy, but to change and modify. The True Church is in need of a new Reformation. The Reformers were nothing more than early leaders of The Resistance. Consider this a manifesto. For those who are tired of the way things are in the church, who would like to see something different. We must again become the salt and light in the world. Things need to change. Exactly what change is needed will come in future transmissions. Right now, I am trying to keep them short and to the point.

*End Transmission*

Resistance Transmission #1: Welcome to the Resistance

2009-11-11T14:44:00.004-05:00

*Begin Transmission*

I have noticed something that I have come to see as profound. A trend, if you will.

I recently acquired Muse’s new album, “The Resistance.” I find it fascinating. I have always liked Muse due to their unorthodox style and brilliant lyrics. And this time, they didn’t disappoint. In fact, they have brought me to a realization. This realization has stirred me so that I had to change the entire tone and look of the blog. You see, I have noticed that a lot of music groups sing about resistance in some form or another. Barlow Girl vows that a million voices will break the silence. Becoming the Archetype states, “I am not a mechanism. I am part of the resistance.” And Muse declares, “They will not force us. They will stop degrading us. They will not control us. We will be victorious.”

Now, if there is a resistance, there must be something we are resisting, yes? Let me make it clear that I am not an anarchist. I respect the government and follow its laws to the best of my ability. I am not suggesting that we should revolt against the government. It is to my greatest role model that I owe the identity of our oppression. The apostle Paul spoke of not conforming to the patterns of this world in Romans 12:2. The Greek for the word “world” is aion, which is simply defined as age. So, Paul is telling us not to conform to the patterns of this age. Brings more significance, huh? Indeed, in this present age we are seemingly under a system that doesn’t respect the laws of the true Kingdom, and we are ruled by Pharaohs that know not Joseph. And that corrupt system is ruled by “the prince and power of the air.” (Eph 2:2) Paul speaks of those who have been liberated from this dictator, and tells us that it is he who is at work in the “sons of disobedience.”

As Christians, we have been delivered from the rule of the unrightful king of this world. We have come into the rightful knowledge of the Kingdom of God. But, we are still in combat with the Corrupt Kingdom, and there are many who are still enslaved by its rule. It is our duty to go to them and set them free (Luke 4:18, Matthew 28:18- 20). This is the Resistance. Christians, by definition, are in constant opposition to the Corrupt System ruled by the Prince and Power of the Air and his Sons of Disobedience. It’s time we really understood that we are simply in this world, not of it. We are not called to live the same. We serve a different king, and while we are alive we will always be in conflict with the one that rules this world. Many in the church are sitting back and conforming to the patterns and systems of this age. It is time for the Church to wake from her slumber so the light of Christ, the true King, may shine upon her (Eph 5:14). We must combat hate with love, and violence with peace and patience. This is the truth. This is our conflict. If you are reading this and you agree with me, then welcome to the fight.

Welcome to the Resistance.

*End Transmission*

It's Not a Ghost....(An Admonition on Paranormal Activity)

2009-10-28T20:53:00.000-04:00

I will do my best not to spoil too much of the movie, but I will be fair in warning all who read this: This post will probably contain spoilers. This IS NOT a traditional movie review. I am going tell you all about my experience with the movie Paranormal Activity. Some of you have asked for my thoughts because you’re not going to see the movie anyway. But for those who do not want the movie spoiled, stop reading HERE.

The movie Paranormal Activity follows Micah and Katie, a couple who are “engaged to be engaged.” Micah buys a video camera after Katie insists that there is something has followed her into their San Diego home. From there, the movie progresses, ending in the untimely death of Micah and the disappearance of Katie.

This movie has HIGH potential to carry with it a demonic force. In case you haven’t guessed, the house isn’t haunted; Katie is. You learn throughout the movie that the visitations by this demon (as defined in the movie by the psychic, Dr. Fredrichs) started when Katie was eight years old. For me, this was the first sign that she was possessed by a demon. More events occur, furthering that assumption. This movie is disturbing in that it takes place inside a normal home, in a couple’s bedroom. So, the safety of the sheets is destroyed in the fact that the demon invades the room on a nightly basis, and even goes so far as to drag Katie out of the bed and down their dark hallway.

As most of you know, I am a Christian. I do my best to view everything through the lens of Christ. I am NOT, however, about to tell you not to watch this movie, for I went to this movie with intentions of research (I wanted to see how it played in to my theories on demons and haunting, which I will share at a later date). I do, however, discourage seeing it. There is some speculation about its authenticity. Is it real, or not. Well, it is most certainly NOT REAL. The whole movie was unscripted and made to look as authentic as possible. All occurrences in the movie (footsteps, loud noises, growls, etc.) were based on actual documented events that have transpired in real life, thus enhancing the authentic feel of the film. ¹

Even though it was fiction, three people that attended the 9:45 showing of Paranormal Activity with me emerged from that showing feeling cold on the inside and crying. I felt an assault on my own spirit, as well as a general concentration of violence and an abnormal presence of fear. This movie was handed to Steven Spielberg, and though he is the one who modified the ending, he claimed that the movie itself was haunted.²

You may go to this movie, and walk out laughing because you thought the acting was atrocious and the budget was too low. Or, you may emerge disturbed, frightened, andfeeling an inner chill. Nevertheless, I urge everyone who reads this to BE CAREFUL if and when you view this movie, as I am not the only person (famous or otherwise) who thinks that Paranormal Activity has a connection with a true demonic force. Also, I am not trying to tell you all how to live your life. The pastor in me just had to give a bit of warning and wisdom to those who are considering viewing this movie. Also, please comment and share your thoughts or questions about what I’ve said here.

Grace and Peace

Greg

^1.^{http://www.movieweb.com/news/NEDp9FHFHan5GJ}

^2.^{http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-paranormal20-2009sep20,0,843011,full.story}

Faith: The Demonstration Clause

2009-09-24T16:49:00.003-04:00

In my note, "What is Faith?" I attempted to begin a strong definition of faith. I highly encourage you to read that note before this one, so that things will make much more sense. In this note, however, I hope to explore another crucial idea that is foundational for a true understanding of faith. You see, we Christians claim to know about the power of God. We talk about miracles and deliverance and tell everyone we know about how awesome our God is. But we have a very serious problem.

No one is demonstrating his power.

Those on the outside ask us, "Where is your God? Where is this power you speak of?" They challenge and cry out to us, "Stop talking and SHOW ME!!!" This is where the Demonstration Clause of faith comes in. Our faith is not only made up of our experiences with God and the evidence that supports, but also in demonstrating who He is. The Apostle Peter knew this. In Acts 3 we see the famous story of Peter, John, and the man at the Temple gate. When the beggar asked for money, Peter gave him what he really needed: healing. Peter and John demonstrated God's power. Scripture said that those around them were amazed at the power of God and what had happened to the lame beggar. We can see all three "faith builders" in this story. I mentioned experience and evidence in my last note on this. Now I believe I can show you how all three components of faith really work.

1.) Experience- This primarily benefits believers. Christians tend to have events that occur in their lives that cannot be empirically explained (salvation, healing, dreams, visions, etc). John and Peter saw and went though such things. They also experienced the power of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, something also unexplainable by empiricism. This is the first building block for faith.

2.) Evidence- This benefits both believers and non-believers. There are many things in Christianity that can be explained through empirical evidence. For example, historical accounts of Jesus (aside from the Bible) and scientific proof for events such as the Resurrection are evidences that both strengthen our knowledge and defense of the faith and gives non-believers reason not to doubt these happenings. Peter and John had seen with their own two eyes the ministry, miracles, transfiguration, crucifixion, and ascension of Christ. The evidence for Him was overwhelming. The Apostle Paul even said that if he was not to be believed, to ask the many eyewitnesses if he was right about Jesus. People today who doubted such things as Jesus Resurrection are now saved because they believed the evidence presented to them. This is the second building block of faith.

3.) Demonstration- This is primarily for the benefit of non-believers. If there are people who do not believe in healing, when witnessing someone being healed as demonstrated by the power of God could certainly change that person's mind!! When Peter healed the crippled beggar, those around them were astonished and amazed. Believers are the ones through which this demonstration is carried out. This is the third building block.

Now, to explain why I have said all this. These three things work together, in a circle so to speak, so that one relates directly to the other. There is, however, one problem. We aren't demonstrating enough. We've had plenty of experience and we have tons of evidence, but we don't really demonstrate. I believe, as people of faith, we are called to demonstration. Why aren't we laying hands on the sick and they are healed? Why do we sit around and talk about healing and deliverance when we are supposed to be going out to heal and deliver people? If this is such a key thing to faith, why have we dropped the ball? I say, it's time to fix this. I say, it's time to live out all three aspects of faith. I believe that without these, faith is not complete. We may know that our faith isn't wishful thinking, and we may be able to prove that it isn't, but can we show that it is truthful? People don't just want words. The want to see those words come to life.

Remembering Ideas

2009-09-23T01:57:00.002-04:00

So, I bought a digital voice recorder. It came in today. I bought it mainly to keep track of ideas when I can't write them down. You thinkers out there, you know how it goes. You can be anywhere and a very profound thought enters into your already bombarded mind. You want to write it down, but most of the time you can't because carrying a pen and some paper around is not always the best thing to do. But, those awesome epiphanies always come when we can't write them down. By the time I get back to my dorm to write my awesomely profound thought down, I've forgotten it.

Now, with the help of this small device, I can speak my ideas into a little microphone and remember them long enough to do something productive with them. For those who may read this and decide to buy one, eBay is an awesome place to get one. I encourage all you thinkers out there to try this idea out with me. Hopefully we can all be more productive now.

What Is Faith?

2009-09-17T16:25:00.001-04:00

The question of faith is ever present in our Christian walk. In a sense, it is a defining characteristic of such. Yet, often times we ask ourselves and others this question: “What is faith?” By no means is the concept and action of faith easy to define, or even grasp for that matter. This question was asked of those of us who were in Dr. Skip Jenkins’s Intro to Theology class. We were asked to give the first thing that came to mind whenever Skip asked what faith is. The responses were many and scattered across a broad spectrum.

Some gave highly complex answers, while others gave simple definitions such as “devotion” and “trust.” Once everyone that wished had given their answers, comments, and rebuttals, Skip brought us to the biblical definition of faith. This is where I will park this machine. Because, regardless of what we think, the Bible has the correct answer to our question. We can come up with every conceivable though as to what faith is, but nothing comes close to what the writer of Hebrews said.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”- Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

Let’s look at this a little closer. The two key words in this verse are substance and evidence. The Greek word for substance is the word hypostasis which means “a setting under, substructure.” In other words, it sounds like we have a foundation. Likewise, the Greek for evidence translates back to elegchos. This word means, “a proof.” So, let’s see how the verse reads when we insert these words:

“Now faith is the foundation of things hoped for, the proof of things not seen.”

Puts things into a slightly different perspective, huh? I like the way Dr. Skip put it. He said, “Faith is the foundation of things hoped for, and the closing argument of a case already won.” This is true because, usually, a proof is the end of a process. If something is proven, it is final. Here’s where we jump into the deep end, so hang on. A foundation is a beginning, and a proof is an end. This means that faith has a beginning and an end. It’s no coincidence that in the very next chapter, the writer of Hebrews calls Jesus the “author and finisher of our faith. (Heb 12:2) Jesus is the foundation and ending proof of our faith.

Yet, if there is a beginning and an end, that means there is something that connects the two, correct? What makes up the nuts and bolts, the in between that connects the two points of faith? The answer here is experience and evidence. You see, every Christian typically has some kind of experience or set of experiences to back up their faith. It could have been healing. Or, you may have heard God speak to you. Whatever it is, experiences with God do wonders for increasing you faith until the day of perfection. But, what about evidence? What about cold, hard, empirical evidence?

Some would say that you don’t need evidence to prove reasons for your faith, as faith is a proof itself. Now, let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water here. The Bible is clear about presenting a defense, or apologetic, or our faith. 1 Peter 3:15 says,” But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” It is interesting to note that the word “answer” is translated back to “apologia” which means, “a defense of.” Knowing evidence of our faith and defending it are crucial for keeping and building.

So, to state it all, Faith (along with Heb 11:1) is made up of experiences and evidence that prove what we believe, beginning and ending with Jesus Christ. By no means is this a complete answer to the question of faith, but I do believe it is a strong starting point. This is to show that faith was never meant to be taken or used as a “cop out” when we don’t know the answer. In fact, it is exactly the opposite. I hope, everyone, that this has benefited you in some way.

Grace and Peace.

Hide and Seek, Part 1: Looking For Him

2009-05-20T16:36:00.006-04:00

"Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you." (Matthew 7:7, ISV)

Talking to my friend Rebekah the other night, I found myself recalling a brilliant analogy dealing with our relationship with Jesus. It was something told to me over a year ago by my spiritual big brother, Bruce Purvis.

You see, Jesus likes to play hide and seek with us. This isn't negative like it sounds. Instead, this is one of the most profound pieces of personal theology that I've ever come across. Our relationship with Jesus is like a big, ongoing game of hide and seek, in which we are always the seeker. But, just like in the real game, Jesus doesn't hide in the same place every time. If we find him behind a bush one round, we can expect he won't be there the next. In other words, every time we seek Jesus, we will find him in a different place every time. He isn't going to be where he was before.

Let me put this into better terms. You won't always find Jesus in his blessings (financial, etc). You won't always find him in his power (healing, gifts). You will find him there sometimes, and maybe even frequently. But you will not find him there EVERY time. He does this to teach us how to seek him. And, here's the best part. You WILL find him in a familiar place again. Because, as any smart hider knows, after one spot has been overlooked as it has become a common hiding spot, it is game to hide there again. So, if Jesus hid behind a bush the first time, give him a few rounds, and he'll hide there again!! The important thing to remember here is this: the more you seek him, the more places you will find him. Just remember to look for him in a different place and a different way.

Can't find him lately? Quit looking behind the bush and look behind the shed, or in a tree. He's there, waiting to see if you can find him and more importantly, if you want to find him.

Remember, seek and you will find......

Playing Dumb: Further Objections About Calling

2009-05-18T14:56:00.003-04:00

In "Who Am I?", I shared with all of you my thoughts and revelations on calling. Let's recap on that before I cover the next three objections that we give.

I said that most objections to God's call on your life start with a feeling of unworthiness. This is the gateway to the self-destruction of your call. It is also the door that leads to any further objections to the task at hand. As you can see in the Bible, Moses objected FOUR different times, with "I'm not worthy" being the initial excuse. Now, let's jump into the other three.

OBJECTION #2: I Don't Know What To Do

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ' The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, "What is his name?' What should I tell them?" (Exodus 3:13)

Now, this objection is more of an invitation for instruction. I believe that Moses really didn't know what to say to the Isarelites. You see, Moses understood the mentality of the Hebrews. After all, he had lived among them as a Egyptian for most of his life. He knew that the Hebrews would be doubtful if he couldn't give them some sort of legitimate answer. But, yet again, God gave him an answer.

God said to Moses, "I AM who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, "The Lord, the God of your fathers- the God of Abraham, the God of Issac, and the God of Jacob- has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3: 14-15)

You see, you are powerless to do anything without God. So, using the excuse of not knowing what to do is very pointless. NOBODY knows what to do without the direction of God. He will never lead you astray. If you follow his direction, everything will fall into place. Just look at what happened later on. Moses and Aaron went to the elders, per God's instructions, and the elders believed and worshiped (Ex. 4:29-31). That takes care of what you are supposed to do.

OBJECTION #3 & #4 I CAN'T DO THIS

This is where unworthiness comes back into play. You see, because of the false sense of unworthiness, Moses believed that he was incapable of doing anything God had said. in Exodus 4:1, Moses tells God that they people will not believe him, and in verse 10, Moses tells God that he cant speak very well.

This is where things get interesting. God will always give a way of accomplishing the task at hand. If you read verses 2 - 9, God give Moses the power to do wonders. This is so the Israelites would believe in what Moses was saying. No problem, right? God has taken care of every problem Moses could have.

Wrong.

Moses STILL had to object by saying that he didn't have the ability to speak to the people. God had given him direction, words to say, and power!! But this was not enough to convince Moses to do anything. It was because of this stubbornness and fear that God became angry with Moses. In verse 11, God basically told Moses that if he had made Moses, then Moses could do what was asked of him. He told Moses that he would teach him what to say, and Moses still begs for God to send someone else!!! God becomes enraged and tells him to take Aaron with him to help speak (verse 14-17). In the end. God still provided a way for Moses to go about his task. I do believe, though, that if Moses had made one more objection, God would have really chosen someone else.

God has called you for a reason, and he wants YOU to do it. If God has said you can do it, THEN YOU CAN!! He isn't stupid; he knows what he's doing. Nothing you do our say can convince God that you are not capable of doing his will. But if you still refuse, then he will move on, and your life will be nothing but a shell of what it could have been.

You are called of God and are endowed with the abilities to do what he asks. He will guide you every step of the way and provide every means of accomplishing his will for your life. Be careful, though, because once you do, the enemy still has tricks up his sleeve.

Hindsight: Look Into the Past

2009-05-07T01:34:00.004-04:00

So, a WHOLE lot of stuff has happened to some friends and myself this past semester, wrapping up one heck of a freshman year in college. As of late, a friend and myself have discovered something, thought it is nothing new. This concept is called, you guessed it, hindsight.

The song "Thanks For The Memories," by Fall Out Boy makes a surprisingly profound statement. Near the end of the second verse, the song states, "It's always cloudy except for when you look into the past." Granted, the song itself is talking about the mistake of a one night stand. But, it speaks volumes. As humans, we can't rightly see ten feet in front of our face as far as the future is concerned. We try SO hard to figure out what the future holds. We are so impatient. In short, foresight is harder to receive than hindsight. Our future is cloudy; our past, painfully clear.

Romans 8:28 tells us that everything works out. In the midst of a hairy situation, we can't see the road ahead of us for what it is. We see only the immediate hardships. Yet, God saves us from seeing what we COULD have went through, the pain he saved us from. Here's a good way to see it. A pastor was speaking at my school one day, and he told a story of his ascent of Mt. Sinai. It was grueling, exhausting, and seemed to be a waste of time. He saw how dangerous the path was, despite the fact he was climbing during early morning, with almost no light from the sun. He finally made it to the top as the sun was rising. The pastor looked down the mountain as the sun began to cast its light in the path he had just endured. It was then, he saw what God wanted him to see. The sun's light revealed the many cliffs and extremely dangerous ledges that he had been oblivious too during the ascent due to the low light . By looking back from where he came, he saw what God hid from him in order to keep him safe.

We will never fully understand what we go through. Yet, it is not always what we go through that teaches us; it is what God spared us from in the process. Hindsight is one of life's greatest teachers, used by the Lord frequently to save us from much harm. A lot of things have happened to me as of late, but God has given me the hindsight to see what could have been. I have developed perseverance in the face of trial (James 1:2-3) and kept my eyes on God every step of the way. And so, this concludes my end-of-the-semester post.

Good night, and God Bless.

Who Am I? - The First Objection to Calling

2009-02-18T22:22:00.004-05:00

I’ve been doing some thinking lately (go figure, haha). My thoughts have parked on the issue of God’s calling on someone’s life. Interestingly enough, I’m taking a class that deals heavily on this subject, as well as another class that has touched on it. I’ve decided to write a little blog series about it.

So I watched The Prince of Egypt last night with my Old Testament Survey class. It was during this that God profoundly spoke to me on what to write about. He gripped my heart and opened my ears to a deeper message in the movie.

In case you haven’t figured it out, I’m writing about Moses.

You see, God called Moses to do His will, just like He has called many of you who may be reading this. A profound assignment was laid out for Moses to accomplish. Do you remember what Moses did?

He tried to chicken out.

Now, Moses wasn’t the only one who objected to his calling (remember Gideon and Jeremiah?), but he was the first. He objected FOUR different times to the call God had given him. Let’s look at the first one.

OBJECTION #1: I’M NOT WORTHY

After God had given Moses his assignment, he tried to tell God that he was not good enough.

“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’” (Ex.3:11)

This is the first attack on your calling. You are tricked by the enemy into thinking that you’re not worthy. This is typically the first excuse that some make. You feel like, for whatever reason, you are not qualified to do the task that God has set you apart to do. Really, all four objections Moses made were born of this one feeling of unworthiness. If you feel unworthy to even do the task set before you, then you will never take the first step into fulfilling your calling. It may have something to do with an event in your past.

If God chose people because of what they had or had not done, he wouldn’t have chosen half the people in the Bible. Moses killed a man and ran for his life. David also killed a man after sleeping with his wife, just so he could have her! Solomon slept around too much, and Elijah was always depressed. Peter was self-righteous, Paul killed Christians under a different name and, well, you get the idea.

There is nothing in your past that will hinder you from fulfilling the call God has on your life. Romans 8:30 says, “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

Here’s the best part. After Moses objected, God said this:

“And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be a sign to you that it is I who sent have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.’”(Ex. 3:12)

God Himself told Moses that he would be with him, and would continue to guide. When you take your first step, God is there, leading you. But, you have to take that first step….

What is God calling you to? Great or small, the calling is the same.

Just think about it…

Stick around. I have THREE more objections to cover. ;)

GOD: me

2009-02-15T00:15:00.000-05:00

"He must become greater, I must become less." - John 3:30

Think about that.

John the Baptist said those words. He was baptizing people when his own disciples came to him and told him Jesus was doing the same on the other side of the Jordan. They were worried that everyone was going to receive Jesus' baptism and not John's.

That was his response.

Do we really understand this? Do we live this out? Or are we too consumed with our selfish lives to stop and look at the GOD:self ratio?

I’m not writing this to chastise anyone or anything of that sort. But this realization came to me just the other day. How often do we really put God higher than ourselves?

We are a very selfish people. American culture is primarily focused on the self. Every day, media and pop culture vigorously advance the ever-growing kingdom of the self. Are we, as Christians, advancing the kingdom of God? I sincerely think that a lot of Christians are buying more into the kingdom to self.

Literally.

Why? Why are we more worried about the way we look and dress and appear to others than we are about God? Why do we complain about missing one meal when there are those (which God has charged us to take care of; Matt 25:40) who have nothing to eat at all?

I think it’s time that we decrease so that he may increase, and increase greatly. I know it’s harder than it sounds, and in all honesty it sounds pretty hard. If anything, I’m addressing this note to myself, using this as a means of self-evaluation. So to everyone reading, and me, I issue a challenge.

Let’s fix the ratio. Think about ways you can increase God in your daily life. What can we lay aside? What can we do? Think about it, and get back to me. Don’t forget the ratio.

GOD:me

Viewpoints, Opinions, and Divisions.

2009-02-15T00:14:00.000-05:00

I have once again felt the need to hash out the ever present problem with unity in the Body of Christ. I've been on this kick for quite some time, because the Lord won't let it leave me. This subject has become a reason for my existence. Ask anyone that knows me, and they'll tell you that unity is my thing. But this time, there is a more specific matter I would like to cover: books.

I was in Books-A-Million last night, browsing through various books and such, and I decided to wonder into the Christian section. I had already seen most of what was there in visits past. Yet, this time, I felt my heart grow heavy as I paid a better look at what I was seeing. This all started with a book I found that discredited some ministers and prophets who I know to be legitimate in their calling and teachings. Now, I did not begin to feel this way right away, but soon I saw more of it. One book on one part of the shelf would be there for the sole purpose of bashing another book on the other side. Again, my spirit began to remind me of the greater need for unity.

Guys, we live in a backward society that needs the Church as she is supposed to be: whole and able. Yet, we have let too much dissention come among us, thereby reducing the Body to a weak and almost powerless entity. I know that we all don't agree all the time, but there is a problem when Christians keep writing books to discredit other Christians. There are too many viewpoints and opinions out there destroying the unity of the Church. True, there may be some heresies and false teachings in the Body that need to be openly cast down, but seriously, this whole factor of disunity is coming down to the smallest of differences in OPINION!!!! Opinions and viewpoints are destroying us, people. my question to you is this: WHAT AE WE GONNA DO???

I'll give my answer later. I wanna see what everyone else says. Ya know, monitor opinions.....

Pride is gonna be an issue here too..........

Knowledge...or a Lack Thereof

2009-02-15T00:12:00.000-05:00

So, for those who know me well, you know I'm a reader. I'll go to a bookstore once or twice a week just because I can. Well, lately my mind has puzzled with some questions while walking through the aisles of books. I will share one of these with you now.

I like theology, among many other things. Yet, a slight depression came over me as I browsed through the shelves that contained all the technical information of Christianity. I began to ask myself as I looked around, "What do these people know? Who are they to tell me what is and what isn't? Where do they get their knowledge, and what is knowledge anyway?? I grew irate and bitter, because I knew that some of this so-called "knowledge" was tearing Christianity apart. I was with a group of friends, and they noticed the change in my demeanor.

After having a little pow wow with Daddy(Jesus), I realized that I knew the answers to these questions. Or, rather, Daddy had given them to me a long time ago. You see, Proverbs 1:7 says, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." The Message puts it this way: "Start with God- the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning." So, true knowledge begins with Daddy. Without him, all else is useless and only fools reject his sound teachings. So, there's where you start.

Now, to address the destructive nature of some knowledge. As we all know, nothing can be done without love(1 Cor. 13). Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up, according to 1 Cor. 8:1. I wonder if sometimes if the big theologians and thinkers out there ever consider that. From the looks of some of those books on the shelves, I should say that many miss the mark, some simply out to prove the other wrong. If that be the case, then according to the Bible, the very thing that they are arguing over, proves their knowledge to be worthless.

This world doesn't need more thinkers. This world need people who will love. Love is the foundation of all knowledge, and true knowledge is from God. If we do not respect one another in our differences, then our knowledge and religion is nothing. Keep this in mind

The Image of the Revolution

2008-09-19T01:42:00.002-04:00

As established in my last post, a revolution is underway. This is a revolution that will affect all aspects of life, ending with, I believe, the next Great Awakening (and the last). Statistically, twenty-million people already know and are part of this movement. That brings me to a question: Where are these people?? What do they look like?? I hope to shed some light to these and other questions that will be answered in the posts to follow. Hopefully, I’ll have more readers by then. I’ll tie this in a little farther down.

So, what do revolutionaries look like?? A better question would be, what do they not look like? When I think of this, my mind is taken to Revelation 7. Verses 9 and 10 say this:

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
Who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

This, my friends, is the image of the revolution. The revolutionaries will come from everywhere. I mentioned that there are twenty-million people who are on board. Ladies and gentleman, that’s just in the U.S. There is no way to really know how many have come on board from around the world. Therein lies the problem. We need to seek out and establish relationships with the revolutionaries around us. I can guarantee you, they are right beside you. Denomination has no deciding factor in who’s a part of this movement. Talk to your Christian friends about the change needed in the church, and listen carefully to their response. You will know them by their response.

Christians are sick and tired of religiosity. They are sick of three choir songs, meet and greet/ offering, two praise songs, and a three point, thirty-minute sermon ending in a general prayer for all. Now, there has to be order, and revolutionaries aren’t against that. What needs to be done away with is routine. Order<>Routine. The church is sick and in need of major change.

Find those who agree with what I just said. They are the image of the revolution.

The Birth of a Revolution

2008-09-13T12:29:00.000-04:00

Now I return to you with some interesting revelation. Actually, this revelation was received months ago after reading through Jeremiah’s blog, Just This Side of Heresy.

There is a movement going on within the church that growing at a rapid pace. I have recently read a book by George Barna entitled Revolution. This book describes perfectly the change that is occurring here in the Church. A revolution is underway. Over twenty million have jumped on board and are part of this growing movement.

You see, a definition of the word revolution is simply a sudden or momentous change in a situation. Millions of Christians are tired of the way church is, and have ultimately walked away from the church religious system. This isn’t because they are walking away from Christ, but because the system isn’t working and they know that a change is needed. These Revolutionaries are using other methods to worship God outside of a designated “service.” These people are true followers of Christ, but not followers of the religious system. In short, we are revolting against
the complacency and conformity invading the church.

This is a short post, merely because it will take much more to really get into this subject. I’m sure you will have questions, comments, and objections. I say, bring them here. Just know that I plan to write on this much more.

However, I will issue this simple decree. JOIN THE REVOLUTION!!!!!! GO AGAINST THE SYSTEM AND CONNECT TO THE TRUE GOD!!! THIS IS A EFFORT TO UNITE THE REVOLUTIONARIES AND PROPEL THIS MOVEMENT FORWARD.

Also, if you don’t have a Facebook, get one. Then, go here:
http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19443728716

More revolution essays to come. This is just the beginning…………

The Denomination Syndrome: Part 2

2008-07-31T22:56:00.001-04:00

So, obviously, this is a follow up to Part 1.
After publishing Part 1, I noticed that there were more issues about the “Den-Syndrome” that needed to be discussed and addressed. This will probably mean that I will have to write a third and possibly fourth part.
Goodie. J

In this installment, I’ll shed some light on a few gray areas in relation to Part 1. In some respects, this is a response to some questions brought up by those who have read Part 1. Now, this isn’t a bad thing. I am very grateful to those who have read Part 1 and commented, as well as asked the very questions I’m going to address. I thank those who have supported this blog.

The issue I want to address is the issue of stipulation. Denominations do denote what kind of Christian you are, or better yet, what doctrine you come under. But, I have a problem with that. You see, the book of Acts sets up a framework of how God really wants His church to operate and function. There were NO divisions or separations among the believers of the Early Church. The only labels they had were that of a city or region, such as the Church at Ephesus, Sardis, and so on. The first division in the Church occurred when the Protestants broke away from the Roman Catholic Church in 1517. So, biblically, there is nothing written that says that these denominations are needed. On the contrary, the Bible speaks AGAINST divisions in the church (Eph. 4:1-16; 1 Cor. 12:12-31). However, in today’s world, denominations are becoming less like divisions and more like different parts of one body.

I said in Part 1 that I introduced myself to people as a Christian. I failed to mention that once I established myself as a Christian, I follow up with my denomination. You see, I do not focus on the denomination first, but I do not forsake it either. As I said in my last blog, denomination is not a bad thing, and there is nothing wrong with having pride in your type of church. DO NOT, however, let it get in the way of you and God (because it can happen) as well as you and fellow believers who do not come under the same title as you. All Christians are seen as the same in the eyes of God. Denomination can become a “label” instead of a preference.

I’m proud to be in the Church of God. My great-grandfather was one of the founders of the church I still attend. Both my parents grew up there, and so have my brother and I. I am even about to go to school to enter the Ministry as a Church of God Minister. Yet, I still profess faith and pride in my Savior first, then, acknowledge with pride my denominational preference. It is great to be proud to be Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, etc. But let’s be proud first of the one who made it possible to choose what kind of church we attend. And let’s not let our denomination get in the way of perfect unity in the Body of Christ.

Hope this helps. Part 3 coming soon.

The Denomination Syndrome: Part 1

2008-07-30T16:24:00.003-04:00

I was on Myspace recently, like most, and I was struck with a sudden thought.

You see, I have a couple of friends whose titles are "Proud To Be Pentacostal" and "Proud To Be Baptist." Now, I know both of these guys, and they don't fight about this. However, their names make a statement. They both express great pride in their denominational beliefs.

Now, to my thought. Why do we take pride in denomination?? Don't get me wrong, it's great that these guys have pride in the kind of church they attend. Denominations do have thier place and function. I myself have been raised in the Church of God, a pentacostal denomination. Yet, I have learned that instead of telling people that I'm pentacostal, I tell them I am Christian.

Why??? Well, because that's what I am. First and Foremost.

Our pride should be in the Lord first, then our dotrine. I am not reprimanding those who take great pride in their denomination, but I am merely issuing a word of caution. Instead of first telling people your denomination, why not tell them you are merely a Christian??? The responses may surprise you.

Maybe instead of our titles advocating our type of church, why don't we bring attention to our pride in our Lord Jesus Christ??? If we have anything to boast about, it's simply the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Once again, being proud of your denomination isn't a bad thing, but, we need to bring focus to the Lord first. After all, it was Jesus who died and made available to us salvation through his redeeming blood, and no other.

We should simply be proud to be a Christian.

I have more on this, but not now. I also know that some may get a little upset at this post, and that's to be expected.

The truth hurts.

An Immovable Object: A Lesson From The Joker

2008-07-23T16:14:00.005-04:00

Hello ladies and gentlemen.....it's time for a movie review!!! I take care to warn you, however, that if you haven't seen The Dark Knight, then you may want to stop reading at the spoiler alert and go see the movie. Then, you can come back!!! With that said, here we........go!!

To start with, I thought the movie was fantastic. It was the best I've seen in a long time. Heath Ledger did an amazing job playing Batman's lengendary nemisis, The Joker. I saw his performance and said, " Jack Nicholson, eat your heart out." I highly recommend this movie to everyone EXCEPT small children. Yes, I know it's Batman and the little ones want to see, but seriously, this movie is very dark and very violent. The Joker isn't what most people are used to. He is, I think, portrayed in the correct manner: an EXTREMELY demented psycopath who can turn the city upside down with a few drums of gas and a couple of bullets. This version of The Joker my scare the little ones. Nevertheless, I give this movie five stars, two thumbs up, or whatever else can be taken to mean that I think highly of this movie.

**SPOILER ALERT**

Now, for the real reason I wrote this. There was a line in the movie that really stuck with me, so much so that I had to share it with all of you. Toward the end of the movie, Batman has subdued the Joker. As Batman stands before Joker, watching him dangle in midair, Joker delivers this line: "I now know what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. I think we're destined to do this forever." This sets Joker and Batman up as rivals. However, a philosophy can be taken from this line.

You see, the real result of Joker's line is chaos. The force has no where to go because the object will not move. There is conflict. How many time could we have been that object, stopping some opposing force that threatened us. Oh sure, it's easier to just let things happen. But, what if?? What if we just stood against all that opposes us, and refuse to yield?? If you oppose abortion, what are you doing to stop it?? That's just one of the many evils that you can stand against. Because the real lesson is, the force stops when something refuses to get out of it's way.

Jesus was, and is, our immovable object. Sin and death were really unstoppable, but then He died and was resurrected. It was through His ultimate sacrifice that He is now our immovable object. He now would have us become like Him. He dealt with the evils in His time and refused to stand down. We MUST do the same. He wants us to. He has equipped us to become an immovable object. We are equipped that we may stand when the day of evil comes (Eph 6:11).

As I said in my last post, things are changing. Some, for the worse. Yet, though change is constant, so is our God. He doesn't want us to conform (Rom. 12:2), but instead, stand against the "unstoppable forces" in our world.

Jesus did it, and so should we.

Are you an immovable object???

Summer, Insomnia, and the Realization of Change

2008-07-22T02:34:00.003-04:00

So, yea, things have been crazy.

I really don't know who will read this. I don't care.

I just like to toy with the idea that people read the crap I put on here.

It's theraputic.

I just graduated from Mary G. Montgomery High School. In a mix-up while trying to switch jobs, I no longer have a job. Therefore, I am suffering from a common yet brutal ailment: boredom. Along with this ailment comes another. Let's call it insomnia. I find it progressively harder to fall asleep every night. This is because I can't slow my mind down. This has severely altered my circadian rhythm.

You see, I live in Semmes, Al., five minutes from the city of Mobile. I have lived here my whole life. I know every road, every store, and every person. I am eighteen. Yet, as I type this, my time here is growing ever shorter and shorter. Soon, I will move away from here, and never call this place my home again.

Things are changing. Dramatically.

Where I am going isn't relevant. I said all of that to say this: Everything is changing.

My friends are going through a lot of things right now. Even my older friends are at a crossroads. My church stands at a decision point as well, and they don't even know it. Our country is turning. Everything is changing, or crying out for change.

Am I surprised at all of this?? No

Am I a bit overwhelmed at the subtleness of its coming and the force of its impact?? Yes

Right now, more than ever, we need to ask God for direction. Instead, people are turning to other people first. They turn to psychics, doctors, Oprah, and a presidential candidate who does nothing but promise change he cannot bring.

Not meaning to get political, but I don't trust Barrack Obama as far as I can spit.

That's not far, by the way.

It is in God we must put our trust. We must return to the faith that our nation once held in such high regard. If we don't, the shifting currents of the ever-decaying society will overwhelm and desrtoy us. I hate to say this, but it's the truth. No longer will I water-down my opinions to avoid stepping on toes. I say, we must turn to God, or perish.

I'm really not a hell-fire, brimstone kinda guy. I always believe in giving hope to people when bad news or hard truth is made known. There is hope for us. Change isn't bad all the time, and it isn't good some of the time. God is the answer. He is the only one who doesn't change. He is ever reliable and constantly with us. Our nation, our churches, and our fellows don't have to become hopeless in all this.

We must simply turn to Jesus.

End of story.

The Key to Unity

2008-04-29T14:49:00.002-04:00

So, unity in the Body of Christ is a big issue with me. so much so that I am about to speak on it a second time to my youth group. Yet, there is a difference this go around. You see, most people think you are in unity if there are no cliques or favoritism. This, unfortunately, is not true.

I was a little shocked by this revelation, as there isn't anything left to do to disband strife. Or so I thought.

Ephesians 4:3 tells use to do whatever we must to keep the spirit of unity. There is one thing that we tend to overlook. When we have no problem with one another and are loving each other, we are united. But there is a definite difference between being united and having unity. The word Unite means to join together, whereas the word Unity means to have a singleness of purpose. You can be united without having unity. Look at how successful the Apostles were in their ministry. Acts 4:32-33 says that the Apostles were all in one heart and mind. some translations read "one mind and one accord." This, my friends, is the key. We are in true unity when we all come into one place for the same reason and the same goal: to worship God and let Him do what he wants in His house. Only will we be in unity. We have to stop going to Church to socialize or any other reason. If you want to see the miracles return and revival to come, seek Him, and encourage others to do the same. Then and only then will Joel 2: 28-32 be fulfilled.

Just a thought.

I'll have more about this later. Life's crazy right now.

Very Odd....

2008-04-27T18:49:00.003-04:00

Recently, I have been reading a series of books written by bestselling novelist Dean Koontz. This series follows a man by the name of Odd Thomas, who can see dead people, whom he calls the "lingering dead." These books have intrigued me so much that I am already on the third book and am anticipating the release of the fourth. The series progresses as follows: Odd Thomas, Forever Odd, Brother Odd, and coming May 20th, Odd Hours. If you enjoy suspense and a little melancholy humor, I recommend these books. Koontz's writing style is phenominal, with just the right mix of dialouge and detail. Also, throughout his writing, he does not fail to place religious references in the manuscript. So far, my favorite quote is from Forever Odd: This world, which has the potential to be Eden, is instead the hell before Hell. In our arrogance, we have made it so. I look foward to branching out and reading more of the 50+ novels he has written. I expect future posts to contain more rambiling about Koontz.

A Resident Evil

2008-03-26T17:41:00.003-04:00

So, I have recently viewed the second and third installments of the Resident Evil movie series. Ironically enough, I can somewhat relate these movies to Christianity.
In these movies, the main cause for the hordes of walking dead is the T-Virus: a biological weapon that was accidentally released. This virus infects the body, kills it, then re-animates the body so it is a walking corpse that needs to feed off the flesh of the uninfected.
Sin, which is a "resident evil," works the very same way. It is a virus, an infection, if you will, that exists all around us. It kills us, spiritually and physically, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus" (Rom 6: 23). Therefore, when we become Christians and wholly dedicate our lives to Him and live our lives accordingly, the infection of Sin is destroyed by the Blood of Christ, the only antidote. Being covered by the Blood of Christ and His grace, we are freed from sin and live in Christ; it makes us dead to sin and alive to Christ(Rom 6:1-14).

It's just a thought.

The Politics of Drama

2008-03-19T15:43:00.000-04:00

THIS IS THE FINAL STRAW!!!!!!!! I'M SICK OF THE CHURCH BEING THIS WAY!!!!!!!!!!!

This will be my most controversial blog to date.

Ok, so, to elaborate, America is being destroyed by politics, and so is the church. But I'm not talking about prominent politicians from Washington who are stripping away the rights of the church. I'm talking about one of the biggest oxymorons in existence: church politics.
James 2: 1-13 tells us not to show partiality amongst ourselves. Yet, I obesrved some EXTREME favoritism within the church on saturday. I'm not gonna name churches or individuals, because my aim here is not to tear down anyone, but to make Christians aware of the problem of church politics.

You see, I was partaking in a drama and music competition saturday. Two or three groups stood out to me as obvious winners. The rest were good, but these few were great. Yet, when it came time for awards. two of these great groups were shafted. The awards went to the churches who were "politically involved" instead of the deserving churches. But, this problem goes much deeper than a meaningless competition. And it's not just in my denomination, but in every other as well. Denominations are sometimes nothing more than buisnesses, in a sense. This is very sad. We wonder why abortion is not abolished and America is on the brink of spiritual deprivation.
Politics should not exist within the church. Jesus did not tell Peter "upon this rock, I shall build my conforming poliitical system." Why can't we just put aside the favoritism and judgement and just be united in Christ?? This condition is the VERY reason why people do not enjoy church. They don't want to kiss butt just so they can be a part of something. On the contrary. The Word tells us that a man's gift will make room for him and place him among the great (Proverbs 18:16). God gives us gifts, and when it is His timing, He will put us among the great. We don't have to go through man to be recognized.

So, at the end of this blog, I issue to you, the true followers of Jesus Christ, a challenge. When ever you see or suffer an injustice because of church politics, call it out. Tall to your pastor, your youth leaders, and the ones who commit the injustice. Because, believe it or not, this is bigger and deeper than we really know. Revolt against the ungodly infuences in our churches, even in the high places.

I may get in trouble for this, but the truth must be told. I have remained silent for too long.

Let's start the Revolution. Together as One.

The Other Side of Heresy

2007-12-07T23:11:00.000-05:00

An interesting and quite revolutionary concept has come into my mind. You see, a colleague of mine has presented the idea the true Christians are heretics. It is an oxymoron that very well may change the face of Christianity. The definition of a heretic, in part, is to be a nonconformist. So, in a way, to be a Christian is to be a heretic. There a two different ways this is so.
Number One: We are viewed as heretics by the World. Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Every time we refuse to live by the standards of the evil and corrupt World System (which is fundamentally anti-Christ), we are heretics. We go against unrighteous living, which is glorified by society. That is why Jesus said we would be hated (Matt. 24:9). The Christian lifestyle goes against anything and everything accepted by the world, even the accepted church. When we refuse to indulge in debauchery, such as drunkenness and fornication, the World deems us heretics. When we reject the weak principles of humanistic philosophy, we are heretics. And when we rebel against worldly influences in the Body of Christ, we become heretics even to the church. This brings me to my next point.
Number Two: We are viewed as heretics when we rebuke and rebel against the religious establishment created by the worldly infection of the Church. By this, I do not mean to undermine the authority of the Church, but rather to resist its “religious traditions.” Much of the American Body of Christ has been infected with the diseases of conformity, tradition, disunity, and Biblical Illiteracy. When we decide to act on the true Word of God and rebuke the traditions of Man, the “Church” labels us as heretics.
So that means that every educated, World hating, free worshipping, unified Christian is a heretic. Do you know what you are? If you are these things, then you just might be a true Christian. I will write about the “Religious Sickness” in essays to come.

Continuing in Patience

2007-11-30T18:27:00.000-05:00

I always find myself wondering what where to begin when I write. Yet I have come to realize more and more that writing can be much like speaking. The Lord said never to worry about what to say(Jer. 1:5-10). So, writing is the same as speaking, only with no audible voice to hear. I speak the way I write: I just start. I actually never write with any particular subject agenda. Everytime my pen touches the paper and my fingers hit the keys, I never really know what I'm going to write. However, now that I've warmed up, I believe the subject is, again, patience. I feel like I have more to say about it, as I do not think I have covered this subject thoroughly. You see, my life has been nothing but a test of patience. Come to think of it, seventeen years is not a long time, so I am expecting more tests of patience. I am already in the midst of a few tests already. God teaches in very mysterious, yet approptriate ways. Having said that, here's an example. You never really know what God is doing until it is done. When I was a freshman in high school, God called my family away from my home church of fourteen years to help my former youth pastor start his own. I won't tell the complete story now, but God had us on that task for nine months. when God moved us back to our home church, we saw that while we were away the church had taken a sort of spiritual backslide. Had we been in attendence, my family and I, as well as the families who came with us, would have stopped in our advancement down the straight and narrow. The church wasn't "dead," per se, but the presence of the Lord was not as prevalent in that place as He was nine months prior. So, upon our return, we reasoned that God had pulled us away not to start a new movement, but to protect and grow us so that we may one day be a major part of the forward movement of that church. Yet none of this would have been possoble without patience. In this fast-paced and hurried age, we forget what real patience. Patience is not waiting in line at a fast-food resturant for ten minutes without getting angry, or tolerating a yonger sibling who does not know how to complete a simple task. In fact, true patience is not just waiting. True enough, the Word tells us to wait on the Lord (Psalms 46:10, Isaiah 40:31). Yet, it does not tell us to be completely inactive. We must continue in dilligent prayer, fasting, and seeking. Otherwise,we will fulfil Jesus' end-time prophecy. Our love for Him will grow cold (Matthew 24:12). Most people do ddecide to sit around and wait. It'sas if to say, "Ok God, I'm gonna sit here and wait for you to do something!" We wait for Him to slap us in the face. While we wait for Him to do this, we ourselves fall asleep! It is then that God may decide to give us a slap in the face, in order to wake us. Then, we realize our wrong we were and how we fell asleep in the first place! Patience is active waiting. When the Word tells us to "Be still," it is not saying to literally be still. While to many this is obvious, to most it is not. "Being still" means waiting o the Lord while still trying to "press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14). In short, Chrisianity is a verb, and patience is an element of its action.

From Reason to Patience

2007-11-30T00:47:00.000-05:00

Many thoughts run through my mind. I cannot begin to lay hold of them in order to separate them. That, my friends, is why I must write. My mind is slowly but comprehensively turning to thoughts of theology and philosophy. One of my role models, C.S. Lewis, has greatly inspired me to write and study theology. I do hope that the mindless rantings of my childhood will soon cease and begin to concern itself with higher thoughts and meaning. I desire not only to be a propetic evangelist of the Lord, but also my generation's foremost apologist. I hope to one day defend the name of my Lord against the World's thinkers amd writers. I would love nothing more than to challenge those who curse, blaspheme, and ignore my God. Yet, in all my wants and desires, I know that such is capable only through the will of the Lord and the strength he has given me.

Before I came here, I wrote of revival and revolution, both of which I still firmly believe in. However, I think have finally come into the learning of Psalms 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God." Patience is a virtue that takes time to learn. In learning patience, you also experiance and operate in patience, and little is more rewarding. God is looking for those who will be revivalist, reformists, and revolutionaries. Patience is their common trait. Revival, reform, and revolution are all things born of patience. Now, for most, I have found that even though patience is a beginning lession, it is one of the hardest pills to swallow. Yet, even still, it is one of the most rewarding lessions you can learn; to feel the satisfaction of your wait, your reward at the end. On that note, what is a Christian's life?? Revelation 2:10 says, "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." Patience and endurance, which go hand in hand, are key to the survival of a Christian. The subject matter of this has come from reason, to patience. Who knows what I will write next??

God does.

An Opening Thought

2007-11-28T23:32:00.000-05:00

So, I have decided to blog here. Hopefully, you who are reading will stay thouroughly interested in my writings. This is just a little introduction to my world. I love to write. However, with my busy schedule, this grand hobby of mine is a bit difficult to actually partake in. I have many screen names floating around, but al contain my "pen name" so to speak: Xavier. I am nothing special. I am just one who aspires to do great things for the Lord. Yet with the Lord, I am a defender of the faith, a zealot for the cause, a proclamer of the word, and a teacher for those who wish to learn. But as you can see, I am nothing without the Lord Jesus Christ. This is my First Fundamental Truth. I hope to bring you more of these at a later date.

Grace and Peace to You