Comfort Zone

I woke up today in a bed. I had a sink to wash my face in, clothes to put on my back, and food to eat. I didn’t have to worry about how I was going to survive today. I knew when I went to Blair Shannon this morning that there would be a bowl of cereal and a glass of milk for me. I may not be the richest man in America, but I do live a very comfortable life and thank God for the good that come my way. The problem is that I get too comfortable. I become apathetic to the suffering going around me and that is when I play "World View" by Flame off the “Our World Fallen” album (A).

The song is a powerful look of the struggles going on all around the world, America included. One line that particularly hit me was "Open your eyes step away from MTV, see into CNN." Before I heard this, the only news I cared about came from ESPN. My mind was stuck in the comfort of being a young adult in America, and I foolishly ignored the world's issues. While listening to “World View” one day I decided to get some information sent my phone, via twitter, from CNN and Breaking News.

At first I was overwhelmed by the pain going on all around the world, and I thought all my Twitter and Facebook friends should know about these pains too. I have calmed down since then, but the little updates I get daily still melt my heart. Getting updates from the various earthquakes around the world, prisoner trades, random murders, and so much more has soften my heart tremendously.

Christian artist Brandon Health wrote a song called "Give Me Your Eyes" (B) that almost makes me cry when I hear it. The song makes me wonder “how can God handle watching all the pain death, and suffering in the world? I know I couldn’t.” I also know that God can be grieved (2 Sam 24:16(c), Mat 26:38(D)). He sees the suffering going on all over the world, there is no pain in the entire world that is hidden to the eyes of God (Heb 4:13 (E)). Then there is me... I can barely stand being in a hot room without whining and complaining. I cannot live the rest of my life comfortable and expect to do anything substantial for God. I have to be willing to sacrifice for those who have nothing (Deut 15:11 (F)) and go places outside of my comfort zone (John 4:7-10 (G)). There is a lot of suffering in this world, but we must not make ourselves ignorant. To ignore the pains of the world, both foreign and domestic, is to ignore the opportunity to share the same love God gave us to others. It is with that said that I implore the reader of this to go out into this chaotic world, find the place that God sees best fit for you, and be a light to the people that are around.

A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpWfEeGtxNw

B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5AkNqLuVgY

C: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Sam%2024:16&version=NIV

D: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mat%2026:38&version=NIV

E: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Heb%204:13&version=NIV

F: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deut%2015:11&version=NIV

G: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204:7-10&version=NIV

Father's Day 2010

I was not going to go to church today. I was going to allow my feeling to deter me from fellowship with the body. I was going to isolate myself in self-pity and depression and refuse the aid of the body. Why; because today is father's day. A day when sons and daughters celebrate the male parent(s) in their lives and that is something that I can not do on this world. My dad passed when I was 3, his father before I was born, and my mom's dad when I was seven. I knew what today's sermon was going to be about: it would be Mark standing talking about the types of father-child experiences that I never had growing up. It took so much motivation and grace from God to push me out the door, onto my bike, and down the street to church. As silly as this sounds, I changed my Facebook profile picture to my dad right before I left, a picture of him and me when I was a chubby little thing, just seeing that picture put me to tears. When I got to church, I was immediately greeted by many brothers and sisters, nothing out of the usual, I'm pretty sure most do not know of my particular family situation. Song, communion, and everything else preservative went by great and then it was time. The time had come for Mark to stand before the congregation and talk about stuff my heart would weep over. I was wrong though.

Mark's message just kept coming back to the idea of us as God's child (Rom 8:17 (A), 2 Cor 6:18(B)). I know God is my heavenly father, but like the ancient Israelite who wanted a human king to represent God (1 Sam 8 (C), I wanted a human version of my heavenly father. I wanted a hug from dad after a receiving a good grade, a tip for improving my jump shot, even a disciplining word when I was going through my greatest struggle with sin. What I lacked in the physical, I now can truly appreciate in the spiritual. Moreover, as my relationship with God has increased, so has my relationship with his church. That church that I tried to avoid today, was the same church that gave me a great day of fellowship saturated in joy.

In closing, I never will have another dad on Earth, but I will always have my God in heaven. He knows my needs and has given me a great church to help and support me. Today I thought about avoiding this great creation of God, but something said go and I did. The result: a great lesson, great fellowship, and firm understanding that in all ways I can go to God and he will be my comforter and father.

A: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rom%208:17%20&version=NIV

B: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Cor%206:18&version=NIV

C: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20sam%208&version=NIV

I.T.C.N.O.I.

I live in this world, but I’m not of it; one of the most famous sayings in Christianity. Not only that, but it’s also a great song by Christian artists: Sho Baraka, Tedashii, R-Swift, Benjah, and Honey LaRochelle (A). I’ve heard people call this song an anthem because it’s a statement to the world that though I am here on this fallen planet, my heart, my mind, and my soul belongs to Christ alone. A question did manifest while I was reflecting on the idea of being in the world but not belonging to it, what about the other side? What about those who are in the church, but not of it?

Before I continue on, I want to make it abundantly clear that the church is not building. One does not go to church; one goes to a building to meet with the church. I have been wandering through Wal-Mart with my man Rudy and have had some great God centered conversation and reflection. To understand what it means to be “in the church, not of it” people must first understand that church membership is not limited to a little building visited once a week. It is a body of believers who fellowship in the name of the lord anytime, anywhere. (Mat 18:20 (B), Acts 2:42-47 (C)).

Membership in a church is an amazing experience and one of the key foundational components of Christianity. However, some people lose their passion and love for Christ and make no attempt to restore it. Instead, they put on a mask, go to the church building, think about whatever, and run back to the world as quickly as they can. By no means is this example the limit of the “in the church, but not of it” mentality: refusing to fellowship, serve, pray, read the bible, and the list goes on. As the bible puts it, you can tell a tree by its fruit (Mat 7:20 (D)). For example: if I pluck an apple off a tree, how could I possibly call that tree and orange tree?

As I wrap this up, let me state that Christianity is a long, difficult, and very narrow road. There are many Christians that will struggle, stumble, falter, and so on. This however does not act as excuse to live a life contrary to Christ’s example. The bible makes it clear that there will be many that will look like good strong believers, but when judgment comes, God will not know them (Mat 15:8-9 (E), Mat 7:21-23 (F)). Though they had perfect attendance in the building and played the role magnificently every Sunday, nothing about them desired God so their pseudo-faith fell short in the end. It’s time to stop with this hardly half-hearted “I go to church, so I’m saved mentality.” Being a member of a church extends beyond our Sundays, holidays, and meal prayers. To be a member of church means to live a life pleasing to a loving God, whose grace and mercy has blessed us with eternal salvation.

A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfS12DRq1tM

B: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mat%2018:20&version=NIV

C: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%202:42-47&version=NIV

D: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mat%207:20&version=NIV

E: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mat%2015:8-9&version=NIV

F: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mat%207:21-23&version=NIV