Unwindings.org

Had a wonderful conversation today with a relatively new acquaintance who discovered that I too was a Christian. We talk from time to time and have even been able to dig into some of the deeper truths our Life in Christ.  Today he said something interesting… “I feel contaminated”. Referencing how he feels about many church events and services since we have started talking. He went on to say that in more closely observing the routine of church it is most often nothing more than a religious exercise that means little to nothing according to what God intends for us a “new” creatures. Indeed!!

I don’t say that with happiness but do know how good it feels when you realize that authentic Christianity is vastly different from the ineffective monotony we have reduced it to. What joy it is share with a fellow adventurer who now has caught wind of freedom in Christ. I pray his “contamination” will continue which really is Truth that sets people free.

This is undeniably a hot debate today from the government all the way to the individual. The debate can be very complicated and hard to digest leaving many Christians gridlocked as to what to do… so they do nothing. Let’s unwind it a bit.

Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it“. This is self-explanitory. Everything is the Lord’s… that means all resources to include wealth of nations, the wind and sun and yes, even the oil beneath the ground. Psalms 50:10-12 says “every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it“.  Part of the curse for all of humanity is to work to earn a living but in Luke 12:15-20 we are reminded that “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions“. Why? Because earthly possessions and resources are God’s that He has allowed us to manage.

What wonderful resources we have in wind, solar, water,  magnetism, and yes, even oil. All provided by Him but with a responsibility to live and depend on Him as we manage these resources. Certainly we could make a case that we have mismanaged fossil fuels but that is not corrected by rejecting it altogether. Instead, as with everything within the scope of what God has created, we are made to depend upon Him for guidance and usage of all that He has provided to us. Wow! How uncomplicated!

If there ever was a Top 5 List of organizations predisposed to becoming status quo then church would have to be on that list. I realize that I am using the word church broadly here so to be more clear I am referring to the new covenant church first formed in the year 44A.D. in Antioch according to the account in Act 11. Since that time, nearly 2000 years ago, the church has continue to meet with some changes… some good and certainly some bad.
In my travels within today’s evangelical church leadership, one such debilitating malady that was not characteristic of the early church in Antioch is that of embracing status quo. I have had dozens of conversations with fellow leaders who advocate how we must maintain doing things the same way… because “that is the way we have always done them”.
Can you imagine if God was bound to function within the ways we as humans have  ”always done them”? There would never be any new direction or outgrowth yet new direction and outgrowth is precisely what God seeks to do within today’s church: face outward to the onlooking world, love them in Christ and allow God to accomplish His amazing plan.
We know that God is constant and His message of Hope and Grace are unfailing… even though people and societies are continually changing.  It would do today’s modern Bible church much good to walk by faith and allow God, “The Great Interrupter”, to change them into ministers of the love of Christ that has set people free for centuries.

The Insanity of Routine – the process which well-intentioned Christians continues to engage in the same religious behavior over and over again yet expect different results to occur.

Showing up for church as a duty is one such routine. Even though they may actually hear wonderful teaching from Scripture their life never seems to improve and show a outpouring of freedom in Christ. Sitting under good Bible teaching doesn’t necessarily change lives but rather if the listener knows and responds to what the Holy Spirit, the true teacher, wants to do inside of them.

Rising early every morning to dutifully read Scripture is yet another enslaving routine. The Bible is God’s Living Word but only if we get beyond the book and truly know what the author wants to do in us. Words on pages if read consistently day after day have no magical power yet that is what many Christians do expecting something to happen. I have spoken to too many Christians whose lives are shattered by the pressures of life coming to the realization that their religious routines did nothing help them except give them a false sense of hope.

The Christian life is anything but routine… a better word to describe true authentic Christianity would be an adventure. If your Christian walk is not filled with challenges, victories and faith-stretching experiences driving you to know God and what His Living Word really means then it’s time you break from the insanity of the routine and find out why. May God set you free!

I find this debate among Christian an interesting one in that it seems both sides become bogged down with the complexities without considering the principle of the matter. On one side you have those that reject recycling because it is too closely associated with the “green” movement which is advocated by many fringe groups. One the other side you have those trying their darnedest to save the planet. Throughout Scripture we have many examples the recycling of materials and goods born out of necessity to preserve hard to acquire resources. Today we live with so many resource available to us that we tend not to fully consider the cost of material and goods; hence, the reason for such great waste.

In 1 Cor. 6 we see Paul talk about our bodies which Jesus bought with his blood. Now as users of these bodies we have been given the opportunity to care for them in a responsible manner. This principle of stewardship appears many time throughout the Bible and encompasses many other area in the Christian’s life such as money, possessions, eating, drinking, family, etc. There is no hard-and-fast rule in the Bible that says “YOU MUST RECYCLE… OR ELSE” but neither is there Scripture to support our irresponsibilities in neglecting those things God has given us to use… such as the beautiful earth.  Talk to God about your recycling efforts and demonstrate your thankfulness for all the resources he has made available for your use. Happy recycling!

The short answer is ‘No’ and here is why. Jesus in Matt.23:8 said that the Christian has but one Master and Teacher who is God and that we are brothers and sisters to one another in The Body. What Jesus says next in verse 11 is awesome yet terribly overlooked, in fact, ignored by scores of well-intentioned Bible churches – “The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

As Christians our highest rank among each other is servant therefore nullifying the hierarchy of titles and ranks such as “senior” pastor, “assistant” pastor, “associate” music minister, etc. Authority within the church is a completely different matter altogether which is addressed within another topic.

If we as Christians really want to experience Body Life among those we corporately gather with then may we come down off of our man made pedestals and watch what God can accomplish.

The short answer is a false form of Christianity that passes judgement upon anyone who does not live according to list of rules or standards whether written or understood.

Under the new covenant Christians live devoid of any rules but dependant upon the Spirit of Christ who is working to mature them into wonderful, productive, kind-hearted person demonstrating that Christ is really within them.

New covenant living is a person living out their daily life within God’s given design.  In John 10:10, Jesus said “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Jesus also said He is The Way and The Truth and The Life in John 14:6. The abundant life is actually Jesus Himself in us and not us working hard for Him like so many churches teach. Wow! what a release of stress… what pressure that takes off of me trying to keep up. In the New Covenant I can rest, I can relax knowing that as I wait on God He will do what He wants to do in and through me. Everything from God… nothing from me. Awesome!!