Verbal Processing: Change.

Today, I've been thinking about much about myself during this summer vacation here in New Jersey. I am not the same person now as I was the the last summer of 2008. I know we all change in some way over a period of time. We change our clothing styles and how we fix our hair. I feel the change is spiritual. It is something only God influences.

My outlook on things such as patience and lust (my two biggest struggles) has completely evolved. Mind you, I still do struggle with these things but not as heavy as the years past. I can see how God is calling me to something bigger. It is something more than I can imagine. The way He is bringing me back to the likeness of His son is becoming more clear and within reach than ever before. My struggles are two that are very common within all races, all sexes, all nationalities, and all cultures. I cannot hide the things that hinder me. One big change is the way I deal with these things. I thank God that I am suffering as I do for the better glory of Christ.

Another big influence of change starts with my career. I have always enjoyed studying law; whether it be criminal or constitutional law, I enjoy studying it. After speaking with an attorney who takes an associate pastor position at a local church in Paragould, Arkansas, I begin to see how all things within any career work together. In just about any career, Christians can reach someone within their vocation. I have always wanted to fit into a career that makes me a light in a dark place. I now realize that every job - even ministerial - has darkness of some kind. An attorney can serve Christ with such validity and ability as a pastor.

God showing me patience has broadened my perspective in all things. There are so many things I want in my life - marriage, good career, serving within a church - that I have little to understand how to accomplish. God has allowed me to struggle to make me see the perspective of His will. I must first serve Him through whatever I do next. I will be job searching soon in Paragould, Jonesboro, and Little Rock in Arkansas. I truly believe that God will show me the correct pathway in choosing a job. From there, I want to meditate more on scripture to determine if law school is right for me. This is all my way of verbally developing what to do next, or in other words, this writing is my way of both communicating with readers and myself. Just by me sitting down right now writing this, I am processing new ideas and desires.

All this may seem mundane and mediocre. For me, it is not. I am not the same. I have decided to follow Christ. And although I have sat through darkness for such a long time, God is still my light. I have made many impulsive and imprudent decisions in the past and said many things that have damaged and given others a negative view of me. Many say we should forget our past lives. I think to a point this is dangerous. If we don't know who we used to be, then we will have no clue on what we wish to be.

It is interesting to me how people change from year to year. I encourage everyone to seek Christ in all things. In all things, pray for a changed heart. I am happy of my change, and I cannot wait to see where God has me next summer of 2010.

Jesus for Sale

He is not your home-boy as the shirt states; nor is he the co-pilot as the ridiculous bumper sticker implies. Jesus didn't come to start a fashion line. He didn't suffer the most excruciating death by crucifixion to have his name simply put on a bracelet reading "WWJD?" Churches find that marketing Jesus using funny t-shirt sayings and silly slogans work the best to bring in congregates. Jesus is not for sale.

He is our Lord, our Master and our Savior. We use capitalistic principles to share his message of forgiveness and grace; how ludicrous! It is okay to wear a WWJD? shirt and bulletin boards with sayings of Jesus plastered on advertizements. But we simply limit ourselves to this cultural means of getting messages out. We must realize that Jesus is not for sale. It is harmful because the world views Jesus as a marketing figure over a savior. He can be used in Family Guy episodes to play magic tricks and make crude jokes, and our culture loves it. We feed off this marketed Jesus like he is suppose to give us humor and good charm.

Jesus was not a magical Hoodini-type nor was he a quick witted comedian. Stop looking at God like He is a side-kick or a fun name to put on your facebook religious status. Jesus Christ showed us how to have a relationship with God, not how to make us chuckle at bulletin boards. As church bodies, we must stop using the market to make Jesus appealing and worldly lovable. He didn't come to entertain or give a silly list of dos & don'ts. He died for sin and gave us life. So, why do we try to sell him?

The Error of Free Thought

When the French philospher René Descartes said "cogito, ergo sum" or in English "I think therefore I am" , he was engaging in a free thought system. This free thought notion assumes that whatever thinks, must exist. See how this can become erroneous? It does in the way that the agent (thinker) creates assumptions that somehow create truths. What is my point?

I believe there is very little evidence of complete free thought. Think of something right now. I would almost guarantee that your thought did not freely come from nothing. Mankind is not able to create validity. He is not within his power to simply makeup a reality. Something must create a thought. Something must give a thought. If I say I am a complete free thinker who believes that the death penalty is a valid resource based on evidence and statistics, then I have not used complete free thought. I have used someone elses thoughts and opinions to lead towards a conclusion. Such is not absolute free thought.

My issue with many who believe Christianity is an ill towards society because it lacks free thought is their own inconsistencies. The description of freethought is a fallacy in itself: "Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that beliefs should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason, and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or any other dogma. " Why? Is this not a limitation of people to use their choice? If absolute free thought is based on evidence by other human beings, is that not an influence of authority? Absolutely.

My conclusion is this: Nothing in this world is not influenced by something else. One cannot concluse that a Christian is less of a freethinker and open to others than an atheist. Every group is exclusive. In other words, each group believes that everyone should beleive what they believe. There is no such thing in this world as inclusive people, or absolutists for 'freeness.' Here is a good example by Timothy Keller in the book "Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism" :

"Imagine that one of board members of the local Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Community Center announces, "I've had a religious experience and now I believe homosexuality is a sin." As weeks go by, he persists in making that assertion. Imagine that a board member of the Alliance Against Same-Sex Marriage announces "I discovered that my son is gay, and I think he has the right to marry his partner." No matter how personally gracious and flexible the members of each group are, the day will come when each group will have to say 'You must step off the board because you don't share a common commitment with us.'"

See, both of these groups may believe they are free in their thought and open. While one may seem more inclusive and free, it is not. Each one of these groups of people are based on ideas and thoughts and beliefs. For such groups that consider themselves more inclusive and valid because they believe they are freethinking absolutists, I caution them. Free thought must come from some past teaching of folks like Decartes. Think of my final illustration:

If free thinking was such a neccessary foundation, then we should rid of laws, education, and social norms. We should allow children to freely choose, not their parents, on whether they want education. We should allow eveyone to decide if laws such as stealing gasoline are wrong, and not a governing body. If a woman wants to walk topless down a street corner in front of young children, it should be okay under the complete free thinking system.

See the error? I am not suggesting that thinking for yourself is a negative thing. But I again caution those who want to exclude Christians for being ignorant because we base our foundation of beliefs on God. We are no more exclusive than them.

Grace and peace be with you.

Tis the Season to Be Single

Ever feel alone in this world's mass production of relationships? Ever feel like no matter how hard you to find your way out of the dating world, you somehow get sucked back into the world's system of relationship norms?

I feel that way very often. But in this world where being 'something' with someone else is key, I find that scripture, or the Holy Bible, tells me more than what meets the standard of American cultural norms and values.

1. At one point in time, all Christians are called to be single.
2. There is a season of growth through singleness.
3. Complete singleness is meant for some and not others.

There came a point in my life where I began to question motive I had. Whether it be purchasing a new CD or deciding what to do with myself, I began to inquire on why I did these things. I finally immersed myself in scripture and found that the Christian must do all these for the glory of God. In order to do so, we must be called to things. We will all go through a period of being alone, or single. There is a time when we must embrace that period for a season. Just as there are seasons in weather, there are seasons of love relationships.

As C.S. Lewis writes about 3 of 4 of the types of love (eros-in love, storge-affection, philia-friendships) I see the period of this season. We all begin at that philia, or friendship love. The singleness from the other types of love through heterosexual desires for another person is short lived for some, and longer for others. I have been single for about 2 years. Some, have been single their entire life. God uses us different. That period of singleness should be viewed as joyful! There is a purpose behind being single. God wants us to see ourselves and who we are to become. The most dangerous thing is this thought that "I should start dating to figure out who I am and who I want to be with." The idea is dangerous because it puts the trust of determining oneself in dating. Dating will not give us answers. Only God the Father can give us directly our knowledge of who we shall marry. As said before in below blogs, that dating is for the purpose of determining if someone is right for marriage. There is no other purpose.

Finally, being married is meant for some and not others. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 7:6-9:
"Now as a concession,not a command, I say this. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God,one of one kind and one of another. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion."

In other words, it is good to remain single if God gives you that gift. But not all have the gift of singleness and self-control from the desires of marriage. It is better to be married than to let the desires of marriage to never be fulfilled.

It is my hope and my prayer, that all single men and woman of the Christian faith see the bigger picture. We are His people, a living stone of His kingdom. We all have pathways set for us. As God brought us from the womb, He planned for us a special life of His will. Part of that, is being submissive and willing to follow. We all know that singleness and relationships and marriage are a big part of our lives. Let's trust that whatever season we are in-singleness or the polar opposite-that we can trust that God will be gloried forever and forever. Amen.

Plane Thoughts

As I sat on the plane en route (June 5) to Newark, New Jersey, I ponder on God’s love super-seceding my will and agency. His surpassing grace, His mercy through Christ, and His continual love for me is so profound, it axiomatically births this new system of restriction. I am under His constraint which gives me no complete free agency, or will. Nothing is without His consent. I cannot fathom of how immense God’s unconditioned elect muse over how He such.

Which all inquiry leaves me to now: What might I say of His love that restricts? I must be reverent. As we buckle up and slow down to 55 mph when an officer tails our bumper, believers must submit to Godly authority the same way. For spiritual growth through salvation, we must long for His teaching and be reverent before His name (1 Peter 2:2)

As I am here in New Jersey for the next two months , I hope and pray that I remain reverent of the Almighty God.

May grace & peace be with you.