My friend Sam gives me great joy. If you don't know Sam, he is a 'not-quite-your-typical' eighteen year old. Historically, Sam finds more ways to get into trouble (not the bad stuff--just trouble) than any kid I can recall since.......myself. That's probably why my love for him prevents me from doing him some type of bodily harm, though my hands naturally form into a tight grip when he gets near. (All in good fun, lighten up please!)
Anyway, Sam had a problem a couple of days ago. He and a buddy were preparing to do some catfishing out on the lake and were tying up some trot lines. Now, trot lines need big, strong hooks in order to snag and hold a sizable catfish. They are five times the size of a normal fishing hook. Well, Sam called and, sure enough, one of those big hooks had found a sinister way to get embedded into the palm of his right hand. Fearing that his mom or dad would have quickly put him out of his misery in a more painful way, my friend called me. You see, Sam knew I would help, even though I would be laughing the whole time. He came over, I took a pair of cutters and clipped the big hook, and Sam screamed like a girl. (No offense to any girl who screams.) I didn't laugh because of some sadistic nature within. I laughed because it was Sam.
Jesus said, "Don't you know that a man reaps what he sows? With same level that he sows, he will reap his harvest." Great verse, though sometimes it's a hard lesson to learn. So, the story continues: You see, I had fun telling Sam's saga. It really is a great stress-reliever to laugh. Well, two days later on my day off I went fishing. The Crappie are nearing their spawn and they are big and mean. Great fishing. I cast my jig up near a muddy bank and 'wham,' I had a fish on. I set the hook and prepared for a fight. It wasn't a Crappie. It was a five inch long sunfish. I pulled so hard I jerked him out of the water and into the boat from twenty yards. As he flew towards me, time slowed down. I could see his eyes; he was staring back at me with a smirk, an evil grin on his slimy, fat-lipped mouth. Then, as he shot into the hold of my boat, he spit the hook out of his mouth. You understand that the tork a guy puts on a line to catch a monster is tremendous. The line was tinseled out to its breaking point. You could almost hear the 'zing' sound. As the poor little fishy hit the soft, carpeted floor, I watched the hook fly right into the palm of my left hand. I thought of Sam......then I screamed like a girl!
Remember, "What goes around....the thing you sow....will be coming back around in the form of a harvest. If I had it all to do over again, it would all be the same. Why? Because both cases are funny and God loves a good laugh. But the moral is so important. Sow generously, righteously, and with good humor. It'll find its way back, and remember to duck!!!
Pastor Jim
Friday, May 16, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Contemporary Culture and Contemporary Spirituality
Cultural prognosticators have determined that ours is a POSTMODERN society. Our contemporary culture can be described in simple terms; Relational Detachment, Informationally Intertwined, yet Personally Disconnected, Looking To the Future, yet Missing the Present. Succinctly, it is a 'bi-polar' culture that is out-of-balance because of a lack of interpersonal contact.
Many of us find ourselves continually in the chase to stay up-to-date with technological systems and myriad new ways of doing things. It is an uphill chase for all of us, really. I recently figured out that I am a 'Text Messaging' nightmare. I text so infrequently that I have to be taught by my wife or kids in order to appear somewhat intelligent. I still can't figure out why someone would want to send a text, two thumbs and all, when you can hit one speed-dial number AND HEAR THE PERSON'S VOICE. (Sorry, frustration took over! Didn't mean to shout:()
There is at least one advantage to our informationally-intertwined culture and it is a companion of our technological age, though not applied much to personal relationships nowadays. It is a thing called 'analysis.' As I look at our culture and where it is headed (at breakneck speed), I am forced to analyze what is good and what is bad for a truly spiritual life. What I see tends to produce concern. I believe our contemporary culture has negatively effected contemporary spirituality. The current culture of the the Church tends to absorb and assimilate the trends of Postmodernism, meaning; we tend to live in a disconnected way, even in our worship. It used to be that a simple invitation to attend church was accepted. That was because our culture advanced a God-oriented spirituality. He was recognized, at least as being the Creator and Overseer and everyone was willing to excert an effort to do what it took to be a disciple...a true follower. We could invite a person to church and have a more than 50% possibility of seeing that person receive Christ upon hearing the message. The connection was in HEARING the TRUTH. But, with today's culture of detachment and relational disconnect, hearing no longer has the impact. There are so many voices out there that people shut them out unless there is something else accompanying the words.
I give an example of one such voice that is being heard....bizarre though it is. I speak of Oprah: Her "other-than-the-gospel" message is being heard. Part of the reason is, Oprah really is compassionate in many ways. She gives things away, she outwardly feels, she pumps money into far-away schools for hurting girls, she does amazing things. Through her actions she has empowered her words. People swallow the words because they see actions that drill through the detachment and connect with an inner desire to be authentic and genuine. What the Church, by-in-large, misses today is the ability to move beyond the contemporary aspects of our culture that hinder a review of the spoken truth. For example; we give an invitation to church but we are no longer 'inviting' as people. We have bought into disconnect rather than applying authentic action. When is the last time you talked to a neighbor, lent him or her a hand, did something that was out of both your comfort zones? Compare that to the last time you surfed online for that special thing you wanted. Now, I'm not dogging us about being contemporary. I'm simply challenging us all to hold onto the most relevant aspect of True Spirituality.
Let me give you the ultimate example: (Not Oprah) His name is Jesus, the authentic one. Question: did he speak more, or did he DO more? At the end of the Gospel of John, do we find the possibility that libraries would never be able to contain all the things he taught? No, it was all the things he DID!!!
Jesus said; "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) We all understand that abiding means attachment and connection. These are words that are polar-opposite to the current cultural condition. Jesus wants us to be connected to himself, not only for our personal strength and spiritual life, but so we can be like him. He DID stuff! His actions gave relevance to his words. His compassion affirmed the authenticity of his message. Because he touched, he was given an audience, an opportunity to teach.
The question becomes: are we willing to move into attachment and away from the influence of detachment? Well, connecting with Jesus = worship; connecting with the Body of Christ = service/ministry; connecting with seekers = compassion and relationship building. Take steps to improve your connecting ability in each area by doing something new. Worship with more desire for Jesus' presence, volunteer with more of a servant mentality, open your eyes and take a risk by helping a neighbor beyond what you're doing now.....then invite them to church. They might just listen. Food for thought....
Pastor Jim
Many of us find ourselves continually in the chase to stay up-to-date with technological systems and myriad new ways of doing things. It is an uphill chase for all of us, really. I recently figured out that I am a 'Text Messaging' nightmare. I text so infrequently that I have to be taught by my wife or kids in order to appear somewhat intelligent. I still can't figure out why someone would want to send a text, two thumbs and all, when you can hit one speed-dial number AND HEAR THE PERSON'S VOICE. (Sorry, frustration took over! Didn't mean to shout:()
There is at least one advantage to our informationally-intertwined culture and it is a companion of our technological age, though not applied much to personal relationships nowadays. It is a thing called 'analysis.' As I look at our culture and where it is headed (at breakneck speed), I am forced to analyze what is good and what is bad for a truly spiritual life. What I see tends to produce concern. I believe our contemporary culture has negatively effected contemporary spirituality. The current culture of the the Church tends to absorb and assimilate the trends of Postmodernism, meaning; we tend to live in a disconnected way, even in our worship. It used to be that a simple invitation to attend church was accepted. That was because our culture advanced a God-oriented spirituality. He was recognized, at least as being the Creator and Overseer and everyone was willing to excert an effort to do what it took to be a disciple...a true follower. We could invite a person to church and have a more than 50% possibility of seeing that person receive Christ upon hearing the message. The connection was in HEARING the TRUTH. But, with today's culture of detachment and relational disconnect, hearing no longer has the impact. There are so many voices out there that people shut them out unless there is something else accompanying the words.
I give an example of one such voice that is being heard....bizarre though it is. I speak of Oprah: Her "other-than-the-gospel" message is being heard. Part of the reason is, Oprah really is compassionate in many ways. She gives things away, she outwardly feels, she pumps money into far-away schools for hurting girls, she does amazing things. Through her actions she has empowered her words. People swallow the words because they see actions that drill through the detachment and connect with an inner desire to be authentic and genuine. What the Church, by-in-large, misses today is the ability to move beyond the contemporary aspects of our culture that hinder a review of the spoken truth. For example; we give an invitation to church but we are no longer 'inviting' as people. We have bought into disconnect rather than applying authentic action. When is the last time you talked to a neighbor, lent him or her a hand, did something that was out of both your comfort zones? Compare that to the last time you surfed online for that special thing you wanted. Now, I'm not dogging us about being contemporary. I'm simply challenging us all to hold onto the most relevant aspect of True Spirituality.
Let me give you the ultimate example: (Not Oprah) His name is Jesus, the authentic one. Question: did he speak more, or did he DO more? At the end of the Gospel of John, do we find the possibility that libraries would never be able to contain all the things he taught? No, it was all the things he DID!!!
Jesus said; "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) We all understand that abiding means attachment and connection. These are words that are polar-opposite to the current cultural condition. Jesus wants us to be connected to himself, not only for our personal strength and spiritual life, but so we can be like him. He DID stuff! His actions gave relevance to his words. His compassion affirmed the authenticity of his message. Because he touched, he was given an audience, an opportunity to teach.
The question becomes: are we willing to move into attachment and away from the influence of detachment? Well, connecting with Jesus = worship; connecting with the Body of Christ = service/ministry; connecting with seekers = compassion and relationship building. Take steps to improve your connecting ability in each area by doing something new. Worship with more desire for Jesus' presence, volunteer with more of a servant mentality, open your eyes and take a risk by helping a neighbor beyond what you're doing now.....then invite them to church. They might just listen. Food for thought....
Pastor Jim
Monday, May 12, 2008
Ohmert In Trouble...What Does It Mean?
This from the Debka Files, a Jewish media group. (My comments follow.)
What brought the unnamed accuser from America to the door of the Israeli police at this time? According to an Israeli paper, he laid before police investigators strong evidence of a new and grave corruption charge against prime minister Ehud Olmert, the fifth case opened against him thus far – all predating his two-year term as prime minister.
The attorney general Menahem Mazuz found the material substantial enough to order the police to question the prime minister under caution within 48 hours, raising one of the many questions on which a court gag order has condemned the public to ignorance.
Israeli politicians are in a dither but treading on eggs until they too find out what it is all about, why now and whether Olmert can weather the new scandal.
Until Saturday, May 3, the government rested on a slender majority of 67 out of 120 Knesset members, of which Olmert’s Kadima holds 27. Some members of his senior coalition partner, Labor, began demanding his suspension. But Labor’s leader, defense minister Ehud Barak, sent his wishes to the prime minister to come clean out of the probe and denied holding consultations with his advisers about the party’s next step. Olmert cannot afford to let Labor’s 19 members quit.
A junior coalition partner, the Pensioners party, responded to the looming scandal by three of its seven lawmakers splitting off and crossing the floor to the opposition. They have thrown in their lot with the ex-Russian Arkady Gaydamak, giving him a foothold in the Knesset and a boost to his political ambitions without having to fight an election.
The Olmert government was stripped down to a fragile majority of 64.
In the view of DEBKAfile’s political sources, Olmert’s anonymous accuser was put up to opening his can of worms by a party seeking to cloud Israel’s forthcoming 60th anniversary celebrations to which a glittering gallery of invited foreign guests, led by US president George W. Bush, is invited.
That party, whether domestic or foreign, wants to get rid of Ehud Olmert.
The step may connect with the battle Israel has fought to debunk the National Intelligence Estimate in which 16 US agencies concluded that Iran gave up nuclear weapons development in 2003.
The NIE’s purpose was to hold President Bush back from exercising America’s military option against Iran before he leaves the White House. Israel’s strenuous battle to devalue the estimate put that option back on the table in March. Olmert may have trodden on the toes of powerful American interests.
The anonymous informer against the prime minister turned up a few days after disclosures about Syria’s shattered North Korean reactor, which were clearly coordinated by the White House and the Israeli government.
Add to this the impatience in parts of the US administration with Olmert’s foot-dragging on his promised breakthrough in peace talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas by the end of 2008. Saturday night, May 3, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice started her 15th visit in two years to Jerusalem and Ramallah with little hope of progress.
Impatience on another score was demonstrated by transport minister Shaul Mofaz, former chief of staff and defense minister. After leading Israel’s strategic talks with US officials in Washington, he issued two dire warnings.
One was that Iran may attain command of uranium technology before the end of the year – which means the ability to produce nuclear bombs by next March or April.
This warning carries a critical time frame for an American or Israel military attack: June, July or August, 2008. The window of action is then narrowed by the fall and approaching winter. After that it will be too late
In another speech, Mofaz warned that the Olmert-Livni talks with Palestinian leaders will inevitably force Israel to strip itself of its most vital strategic national assets.
The connection between the two warnings is obvious. Iranian leaders make no secret of their plans to eradicate the Jewish state or their sponsorship of Hamas and Hizballah, which openly acclaim their dedication to the same goal.
Mofaz’s warnings recalled the almost forgotten rhetoric of past Israeli prime ministers.
Israeli history has ruled that none lasted long when they came close to giving up vital security assets. Shimon Peres survived for a year in 1996 after his move to continue the concessions made under the Oslo Framework Accords; Ehud Barak was toppled in 2000 as head of government and defense minister when he shrank from fighting the Palestinian uprising and sought an accommodation with Yasser Arafat instead.
Olmert is said to be on the point of giving up parts of Jerusalem to the Palestinians and, according to a message carried by Turkish go-betweens to the Syrian ruler, offering to hand over the Golan as well.
The American whistleblower may have been sent - not just as Olmert’s private nemesis but to cut short his “peace talks” before he and foreign minister Tzipi Livni give too much away, and also as a wake-up call for action against Iran and its proxies, Hamas and Hizballah.
Okay, what does it mean? It is impossible to make predictions of what will happen next, but it is interesting to see a battle being waged under the surface. There are those that are driven by a sense of urgency to derail the 'Road Map for Peace' that was put in place by President Bush and Secretary Rice. I am one who is praying and speaking against their push to divide Jerusalem. Why? Because the pressure being applied on Israel is not in Israel's best interest nor in the interest of those who desire to be blessed. Ohmert's alleged corruption is coming out, but it's too early to tell if it will topple his government. If it does, I fully expect Ehud Barak or Shimon Perez to rise back to the top of the heap. They are just as bad as Ohmert as far as giving up land for peace. However, they demonstrated more "backbone" when it came to applying military muscle to outside attacks. This is a roller-coaster that will eventually divide the land to the Palestinians in the future. It will also lead to a secret pact for Israel's protection. We will not know when that takes place, so don't let that part worry you. Just keep praying for Israel and for a revelation to every Jew that Jesus is the Messiah and is coming back soon.
Look Up......
Pastor Jim
What brought the unnamed accuser from America to the door of the Israeli police at this time? According to an Israeli paper, he laid before police investigators strong evidence of a new and grave corruption charge against prime minister Ehud Olmert, the fifth case opened against him thus far – all predating his two-year term as prime minister.
The attorney general Menahem Mazuz found the material substantial enough to order the police to question the prime minister under caution within 48 hours, raising one of the many questions on which a court gag order has condemned the public to ignorance.
Israeli politicians are in a dither but treading on eggs until they too find out what it is all about, why now and whether Olmert can weather the new scandal.
Until Saturday, May 3, the government rested on a slender majority of 67 out of 120 Knesset members, of which Olmert’s Kadima holds 27. Some members of his senior coalition partner, Labor, began demanding his suspension. But Labor’s leader, defense minister Ehud Barak, sent his wishes to the prime minister to come clean out of the probe and denied holding consultations with his advisers about the party’s next step. Olmert cannot afford to let Labor’s 19 members quit.
A junior coalition partner, the Pensioners party, responded to the looming scandal by three of its seven lawmakers splitting off and crossing the floor to the opposition. They have thrown in their lot with the ex-Russian Arkady Gaydamak, giving him a foothold in the Knesset and a boost to his political ambitions without having to fight an election.
The Olmert government was stripped down to a fragile majority of 64.
In the view of DEBKAfile’s political sources, Olmert’s anonymous accuser was put up to opening his can of worms by a party seeking to cloud Israel’s forthcoming 60th anniversary celebrations to which a glittering gallery of invited foreign guests, led by US president George W. Bush, is invited.
That party, whether domestic or foreign, wants to get rid of Ehud Olmert.
The step may connect with the battle Israel has fought to debunk the National Intelligence Estimate in which 16 US agencies concluded that Iran gave up nuclear weapons development in 2003.
The NIE’s purpose was to hold President Bush back from exercising America’s military option against Iran before he leaves the White House. Israel’s strenuous battle to devalue the estimate put that option back on the table in March. Olmert may have trodden on the toes of powerful American interests.
The anonymous informer against the prime minister turned up a few days after disclosures about Syria’s shattered North Korean reactor, which were clearly coordinated by the White House and the Israeli government.
Add to this the impatience in parts of the US administration with Olmert’s foot-dragging on his promised breakthrough in peace talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas by the end of 2008. Saturday night, May 3, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice started her 15th visit in two years to Jerusalem and Ramallah with little hope of progress.
Impatience on another score was demonstrated by transport minister Shaul Mofaz, former chief of staff and defense minister. After leading Israel’s strategic talks with US officials in Washington, he issued two dire warnings.
One was that Iran may attain command of uranium technology before the end of the year – which means the ability to produce nuclear bombs by next March or April.
This warning carries a critical time frame for an American or Israel military attack: June, July or August, 2008. The window of action is then narrowed by the fall and approaching winter. After that it will be too late
In another speech, Mofaz warned that the Olmert-Livni talks with Palestinian leaders will inevitably force Israel to strip itself of its most vital strategic national assets.
The connection between the two warnings is obvious. Iranian leaders make no secret of their plans to eradicate the Jewish state or their sponsorship of Hamas and Hizballah, which openly acclaim their dedication to the same goal.
Mofaz’s warnings recalled the almost forgotten rhetoric of past Israeli prime ministers.
Israeli history has ruled that none lasted long when they came close to giving up vital security assets. Shimon Peres survived for a year in 1996 after his move to continue the concessions made under the Oslo Framework Accords; Ehud Barak was toppled in 2000 as head of government and defense minister when he shrank from fighting the Palestinian uprising and sought an accommodation with Yasser Arafat instead.
Olmert is said to be on the point of giving up parts of Jerusalem to the Palestinians and, according to a message carried by Turkish go-betweens to the Syrian ruler, offering to hand over the Golan as well.
The American whistleblower may have been sent - not just as Olmert’s private nemesis but to cut short his “peace talks” before he and foreign minister Tzipi Livni give too much away, and also as a wake-up call for action against Iran and its proxies, Hamas and Hizballah.
Okay, what does it mean? It is impossible to make predictions of what will happen next, but it is interesting to see a battle being waged under the surface. There are those that are driven by a sense of urgency to derail the 'Road Map for Peace' that was put in place by President Bush and Secretary Rice. I am one who is praying and speaking against their push to divide Jerusalem. Why? Because the pressure being applied on Israel is not in Israel's best interest nor in the interest of those who desire to be blessed. Ohmert's alleged corruption is coming out, but it's too early to tell if it will topple his government. If it does, I fully expect Ehud Barak or Shimon Perez to rise back to the top of the heap. They are just as bad as Ohmert as far as giving up land for peace. However, they demonstrated more "backbone" when it came to applying military muscle to outside attacks. This is a roller-coaster that will eventually divide the land to the Palestinians in the future. It will also lead to a secret pact for Israel's protection. We will not know when that takes place, so don't let that part worry you. Just keep praying for Israel and for a revelation to every Jew that Jesus is the Messiah and is coming back soon.
Look Up......
Pastor Jim
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