Knowing Whose and Who

So some of you may know that we started a new ministry late last year called Equip. Our desire is to see people Equipped for the work of ministry. I believe every person who is a believer in Jesus is also called to the ministry. We are each called to be ambassadors and  representatives of His Goodness. The "Gospel" means "good news" and it is not just a select few who are called to spread this news...it is all who belong to Jesus. I don't subscribe to the philosophy of clergy and laypeople. Sure, some may be in full time ministry and others may function in an office in the church (teacher, pastor, evangelist, bishop,etc.) But when Jesus gave the great commission and said go into all the world and preach the good news of the Kingdom... he did not add a clause that said (only if you have a theology degree and serve in full time ministry!) We are His hands, feet, and voice.... he chooses is US!

So....with all that said, I do believe that we need to be equipped for the work of ministry, and that not only involves correct thinking but should also translate into the practical experience of a demonstration of Gods power. Jesus method of teaching the Kingdom of God was show and tell. God Loves you...and let me show it by healing the sick and casting out evil. It is very effective...this show and tell method. We live in a society that promotes knowledge above actual experience and thinks knowledge transfer without practical application is enough. (I know this is not always the case) Leading a Muslim to the knowledge of Jesus is much more effective after his daughter just got healed by Jesus. But...that is not what this post in about. I believe the first step in this process of becoming an equipped minister of the Gospel is - Knowing Who He is Knowing Whose We Are-  We watched a teaching about this last week and afterwards the Holy Spirit showed up in such a way to demonstrate how much he loves us and demonstrate how God views us. It was pretty awesome.

For this Blog post I want to talk about Knowing Who He is.This statement talks about having a proper view of who God is. Growing up as a Pastors kid I remember feeling like I should be better and had this overall feeling that God was displeased with me most of the time. I could never measure up. I knew I sinned and quite frankly sinning seemed better to me than hanging out with some folks who followed God. It seemed there was this unending list of things that I should be doing, but did not do, and whenever I had an inkling of doing something good it seemed futile because my bad list was far longer than my good list. Frustrating. I thought the Gospel was "Repent, God is coming back for His church and you will be left behind to face Hell!" It was very effective as scaring the living daylights out of me, but not so effective at transforming me to follow Jesus. I finally gave up and put two middle fingers in the air and just walked away. This God business was lame and Christians did not seem so cool...they were kind of not really happy people and seemed condemned. (I later met real joy filled believers) I went to a Christian School and we were encouraged to get rid of "bad" music because it had demonic messages in it. Maybe it did...but at the time I really loved that music and dealing with the external fruit of someones life is not the most effective way to present the Gospel. Deal with the Heart in the Way of Love.

1 John 4:8 - Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

My view of God was very much an Old Covenant (Testament) view of God. Do things right and you will be blessed. Mess up and suffer the wrath and Judgement of God. Ironically, Jesus came to SAVE us from the wrath of God. Jesus tells a story of Father God that talks of a son who blew all his inheritance and went and partied like a rock star. Ended up in the projects eating out of In&Out dumpsters. Then he realizes his Dad's employees got it better than this. Maybe his dad will take him back as a low end employee? He comes back and Dad is stoked and gives the kid a new Armani suit and throws a huge block party to welcome back His son. He was lost, now he was found! His older brother (who represents the mindset of religion...you gotta earn it) is not happy because his brother did not deserve that treatment. I mean he did blow all his money at the clubs on Red Bull&Vodkas and high end weed.... ( OK I am paraphrasing Luke 15:11-32... read it for yourself)

God is Love and does not pay us back for what we deserve. The Father reaches out to us and wants to bring us home. Our true home is the Love of the Father made available through Jesus. Jesus takes your report card with your measly C's, D's and so many F's and does a great exchange. He will trade you His straight A's for your jacked up report card. See, Jesus was the perfect one that towed the straight line on our behalf. He did the hard work for you....he measured up so then you can measure up. Our work consists in believing that God is really Good and he wants us to come back home. Man...high end weed is nothing once you know the love of the Father. (Note: I challenge you that this love should not be just a head knowledge thing..but by the Holy Spirit we can really experience His love NOW)  Our work is to believe in Jesus's perfect report card that He give to us. That's so awesome..and really is Good News. He not only takes us back but brings restoration. Who is God? He is love, He is a perfect Father, He is Good, He is Almighty, He is Holy... and He wants to adopt you into his family.

My prayer is if you have drifted away from home you will find your way back. Just ask Him and he will listen and bring you Home again. Much Love - Now..isn't that Good News?

Love

Love is supposed to be the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Jesus said the whole idea of the Old Testament law is summed up in Loving God with everything and loving your neighbor as yourself. I don’t know how many times I have heard that, but I would put it up into the thousands. Sometimes it’s so easy to hear something so much you actually think you know it. Knowing something experientially and knowing something via a knowledge transfer is a whole different ball game. Would you rather follow someone into battle that was top in their class at West Point with no combat experience, or a five time tour of duty combat veteran? I’ll get behind the veteran please. Well, there are a lot of similarities when it comes to talking about the love of God. Sure millions of people can quote these scriptures and the 1 Corinthians love passage is read at almost every wedding. So this brings me to ask….. Have you experienced the Love of God? Are you continually experiencing His love? I propose that we need to be five time tour veterans of His love…..it’s the only way to roll. Check out what Ephesians 3: 14-19 says as Paul prays for the Ephesian believers…

14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

This is a pretty cool prayer that Paul drops right here… that our roots will grow down into Gods Love and that we will experience the love of Christ. We all need a root system that is anchored in something immovable.

We recently bought our first house and it was an exciting adventure. The back yard had three large mesquite trees along the back fence. The week before we moved in a storm hit and the middle tree just fell right over. So we had the fallen tree cut up and moved out the day we moved in the new house. Since then I have done some yard work and I discovered the root system to that fallen tree running all over the back yard only about six inches under the dirt. Sure, it looked like it was stable but, when a storm came…boom…its only good use now is to smoke some BBQ.

Likewise, it is the same in my life. Let me tell you, as a believer, I have been hit with some storms that have taken me out for awhile. As I reflect, it seems during those times I seemed to have lost touch with the Love of God. Sure, I understood God loved me, but my heart was not connected with the knowledge in my head. This walk had become a religious exercise and there is no life in religion. Keep your rules please…. I want real Life. I want real Love. Shoot…I want something Real. Don’t you….I know the answer…We All Do.

It’s so easy now to launch into a message about the immense Love of Jesus and the fact he not only forgives but does an amazing job as a Restorer. But let me tell you about a time when God rocked my world and I experienced the love of God. I was nineteen and had just moved to Waco Texas. I was young with no direction and I hated God…or what I thought God was. My father was a pastor and I was the typical preacher’s kid….and I thought Christians were the biggest hypocrites. I remember renouncing God in my bedroom at the age of seventeen…just a little angry. Well…my dad knew this guy who was a Trucker, loved God, and when he prayed things happened. Yep…you heard right… God used a trucker to blow my mind. Long story short…this guy prayed for me…and I have never felt anything like that in my life. I literally felt waves of electricity pulsing through my body and it seemed like I was bathed in a sea of real tangible Love. I had lived my life in so much anger and rebellion and this God (whom I had renounced) encountered me with Love. Wow…He Loves me. Its real….it’s as real as anything I have ever encountered. I have never been the same since. I have had ups and downs have tried to run from God but the fact of the matter is…..I have NEVER been the same since.

If you are reading this, it’s my prayer and desire that you experientially know this Great and Good Love of God for yourself. If you want a place to start why don’t you pray the prayer above out of Ephesians for yourself. We all need a fresh fix…and I am addicted…to God’s Love.

In the Drivers Seat

Well look at that. I came across my old blog today and realized that I haven't posted since 2008. Had to blow off some cobwebs and then decided to fire this bad boy up again. Time to get back in the DRIVERS SEAT. Speaking of the drivers seat it kind of makes me think of a crutch.....let me explain.

Have you ever heard the old cliche' of God being your crutch. I have....I had a work associate years ago say I needed God as a crutch... and then he immediately apologized because he thought he offended me. He didn't. The truth of the matter is that the more I walk in this journey with God the more I discover a simple truth. Simplicity. A mentor of mine tells me the more he grows and matures in God, the simpler things become. It seems maturity in this relationship with God goes in cycles where I keep going back to the basics.... When you come back to the basics there is a new discovery and some beautiful hidden truth that was there before, but lay undiscovered. There was a book once written called Freedom of Simplicity and that sounds about right. Which takes these thoughts full circle again to talk about the crutch.

The older I get and the more I walk on knowing the Sovereign One - Jesus. The more I realize that I don't need Him as a crutch....and more important He doesn't want you to use Him as a crutch. When you use a crutch you are using it as a tool to facilitate movement with your remaining strength. There is still some of you involved (Yea...you see where I am going) Remember the other name of Jesus that always pops up around Christmas time? Emmanuel - which means God with Us. Amazing. He is with us and doesn't want us to use him as a crutch. He said the WORK that you have to do is BELIEVE. Do you know the Amplified Translation says in Galatians 2:16?

....through faith and [absolute] reliance on and adherence to and trust in Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)

Absolute reliance is what I we are asked to have in our faith. In the big things (money, relationships, job, future, health issues, life and death) and the small things (good nights sleep, typing a blog post, buying a gift). These are fundamental truths that we will continually learn till the day we die. I think the point is to let our level of trust to get to the place where we allow Him to take the Drivers Seat. Forget the crutch.

I was praying for a person one time and they were trying so hard to get all of their ambitions done and goals moving forward towards completion. I felt God was saying to her that He was asking her to get out of the drivers seat and sit in the back and let Him drive... and that's not easy...especially when we are wired to want to call the shots.

I don't need a crutch....thank you very much. I need a wheelbarrow with me in it and Jesus pushing me along. Total trust, Him calling the shots, driving the car, taking me to the other side ..... and I am not there yet, but I am ready for the freedom that comes with trusting instead of worrying. How about you? You don't need no stinking crutch

Kingdom and Politics

Yes...it has been awhile since I have last made a post. I had this great desire to post all during the pre-election process but I never got around to it. I have many thoughts about all that...politics that is. About four years ago I was very opinionated about politics and did not hesitate to debate my ideas with anyone who wanted some good discussion. I was not rude, I listened to others out of respect, but I felt passionate about what I believed. I called my best friend from college and started talking politics....I got shut down. He said he valued relationship with me more than discussing politics... which is so many times divisive. Slightly confused (I was sure he believed that same ideologies as me) I allowed the conversation to shift...Quite frankly at that point in my life I was allowing those political differences to really get to me, and change the way I looked at people. No major revelation...just a simple I VALUE RELATIONSHIP OVER MY OPINION.
I still voted and I still do vote. Don't think I am advocating inaction...I think it is important that we have this privilege. We can have a bloodless revolution every four years. Amazing. So the way I approached it this year was to educate myself, pray, fast, and vote. I did my best not to take the bait when politics was brought up. For me this election season was radically different than the past. I did not stress, get mad, become a hater, feel self-righteous, or loose any sleep. All of which I had in the past. I did not sell out or did not back down. I just shifted my priorities to reflect the true government of which I follow.
TRUE GOVERMENT. I have submitted my self to a true government one ruled by a mighty King who is a great leader because He was a great servant. I am a representative of that Kingdom. It is around us all the time....sometimes it's reality invades our reality and it becomes apparent that we live in a shadow image of the real. I believe we have a responsibility to govern wisely and to make sound judgement....but one day the real Wise Governing and True Sound Judgement will be upon us. He came once as the humble servant King of Mankind. Showing us true love so he could win us for himself....a Love story indeed. The first guy to enter this Kingdom was a thief being killed for his crimes.....Showing us all the gates are open and we can walk into this Kingdom. He took a man who used to hunt down and kill his followers to write about this way of life in the Kingdom and give us new Scripture.
Someone is reading this right now and you are having a reaction to the Kingdom talk I just mentioned. That is because you think the Kingdom of God is the spirit of religion...the same spirit that tried to kill the King. (He only died by his own choosing) Jesus only got mad when he encountered this religious spirit. Religion...putting a weight on people to earn more...so arrogant you don't recognize God in your midst...self righteous and blind to your own condition.
The work of God is to BELIEVE. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you truth....He will. You don't know me or the journey I have been on, but I can tell you that He did that for me ...over and over. He would do the same for you. One day...all the kingdoms of this world will be shown to be the KINGDOM of God. All the revolution, truth, justice, equality, love, peace, passion, desire, and dancing joy we all want will be made manifest. I VOTE FOR THAT! Much love....

Sucker...

A few years ago I found my life just plain broken. Broken...in some Christian circles is a word that is thrown around quite a bit. When broken hit me.....it took me out cold. Dust in the teeth of a broken man tastes very bitter... but I thank God for it.


At some point in Tucson I found my identity as an alcohol soaked musician- pot head. But what does that look like? I made good money and I had obtained a certain level of success in my career. Had plenty of friends.....heck even had a good business sense about me. I could sell drugs to you for allot more than I paid for them. SUCKER... It was at this point at my life I kept hearing the phrase " Mike...you are seriously cool". I mean I wish I could make that up...but really...ALL THE TIME. I heard this for about half a year. I guess I had a good image...half my arm tattooed with a dread locked Jesus... and when you talk slow all the time because your so high....it creates a great image. Fantastic.


At some point in 2005 I remember thinking to myself (as I was taking a shower....very stoned)..."Wow, remember when I used to be a hardcore Christian...what a trip" I mean I used to be in leadership for crying out loud. I had preached in churches and even in the streets of Europe. Now it seriously seemed like an entire past life. Some vague memory that I could attribute to living in a certain town with a certain culture. But God is faithful even when we are not.


Well....how can I say this. He..and I mean God... kind of allowed my mind to slip out of place a bit. Like a nervous breakdown. It happened when I was preparing a report for a college class I was taking to continue my education. Just a little heads up. Its not as easy to write reports when you cant stop drinking and getting high. I mean its not impossible...I had already done it before and made an "A". I was the "cool" guy after all. But there it happened. In the middle of trying to put some thoughts together, God just reached down and slightly dialed the tweak button.....and my mind just froze. My reaction was less than broken in the first few moments. I remember thrashing my computer, followed by bouncing my cell phone off the ground, and climaxed by kicking the ---- out of whatever I could find. Then I fell to the ground weeping. God....help me...freaking help me....freaking help me.....


Well he did. He got my attention and took me on a journey of healing that was unreal. There were times when I would sit on the floor of the room and have my life play like a movie in front of me....and God would just talk to me about some things of my past. He helped me understand my disillusionment with Church and some hurts that I had experienced. All this Supernatural stuff started colliding with my life. For several months I just knew things about people and situations that no one had told me. It was weird. I had things show up in my house and try to choke me out in the middle of being asleep. Seriously weird. Which could leave you thinking right now...why are you sharing this? Because.... as I have been typing this I have been listening to worship music... and Gods real substantial presence has just filled my room. I am seriously in Love with Him. Not only has He restored me....He has blessed me far beyond I could have ever imagined. Blessed me with a family....blessed me in my job.....blessed us financially....blessed us with so many sold out Jesus friends in our life who are not religious, but carry a weight in the Spirit. Restoration! No! Lavish...lavish...Goodness.


He loves you man. Daughter... He loves you. He loved me in my shame and has freed and healed me to the point where I could really care less of what you think of me when you read this. You little SUCKER... loved so much by God.


I pray that if His presence has gone far from your life.... that the Lord would let it rest on you....God bless them and love them....I bless them...Father may you always be found faithful...even when we have not.....Thanks for your reading time

True Rebellion...

Have you ever had the desire to jump out of the cultural flowing river of our Western culture and do the salmon thing....you know...swim upstream. Better yet, jump upstream because some strength and force motivates you, and it is stronger than popular current. I would be willing to bet at one time or another we have all had that desire. The movie the MATRIX was written on this theme. Its time to wake up Neo....
My experience dictates we live in a time when people are searching for a purpose and a greater cause to live for. Our society is becoming disillusioned with leaders, media, sexuality, and the financial system. (to name a few) Causes are springing up to counter this..the Green planet movement..Political shifts...Technology shifts...Economic shifts in the global economy. The sexual and social revolution of the sixties has long past and I there is a new generation that wants to see its own shift...to leave its own mark. I sure as heck do.....I mean come on...you do to...I know you wanted to scream FREEDOM at the end of Braveheart too.
Let me present a few ideas on what I see could be some fundamental "how to's" of cultural rebellion. I am sure these will be out of the norm from what you typically hear....but that's the whole point of rebellion right? Its fun... kind of like chasing your kids around the yard with a water hose. Please...allow me to pontificate on some of my non-conforming points....

• As much as absolutely possible stay out of debt. The "man" the system is being fed by our absolute desire to have it now and our willingness to pay them an absorbent amount of interest to large corporations that operate on virtual wealth. Look at the current lending crisis.. The personal freedom that accompanies living debt free is very much not the norm but absolutely freeing and a fist in the face of popular culture. Buy used clothes, use what you have until it is just done, take care of what you have, and more importantly don't find your identity in things you own. (the cliche' = they own you)
• Seek to understand the Love of God. This could have several difficulties. Maybe you don't believe in God or some experience has formed a bad filter in which you view him. the Truth is you can call Him "daddy" and find some love that is real. More importantly once you have experienced this love you can start to dispense it. Experience is what will cause some to cringe as they read this...and experience is what will be needed to get that Love back...You got to get to give
• Commit to work thru relationships and be a long term father, mother, or friend to a healthy community throughout your life. The only thing eternal is relationship..... Therefore get some good ones and give and receive. Our Western Society functions like relationships are disposable (when its tough bail out and go on). Look at the results of this...your smart....I don't need to say anymore.
• Thru the power of God learn how to see, react, and function in supernatural activity. You know... kind of like being trained to be a Jedi knight or something. Look in the ancient writings of the new testament. They got to have all kinds of fun....spiritual visitations ...prophecy ... seeing into the spirit realm ... healing the sick.... heck ... raising the dead. That is seriously counter culture activity, a little beyond your "Dancing with the Stars" moment. I know people who really do this stuff...how strange.

Our society has come to glorify knowledge without experience, and materialism without fulfilment and love without commitment. This is starting to change, and a culture of counter values is rising up to confront these issues. One thing that we as a society must not ignore is how to evaluate the outcome or "fruit" of our actions. The whole revolution of the sixties did not pan out like many thought..... History is an important subject to embrace so we learn how to create positive change and avoid some pitfalls. Human nature has not evolved that much, and it operates mainly the same as it has since the beginning of time. Many would argue against this point and say that I am full of it...... I would say... Evaluate our current fruit...examine history and get back to me on that. Thanks for your time...you little rebel...

oh yea...ride a big black motorcycle that helps to!

Through a glass dimly

I just got back from Oregon and it was an amazing trip. For those of you who know me, you know that I lived in Oregon for about four years. Living in Oregon was a life changing experience. I was transformed from a passionate bible belt conservative christian to a beer drinking marijuana smoking musician. Hmm...that does not happen overnight and the story is a very long one indeed.

Have you ever looked back on your life and the light just turns on? You see things that at one time were just confusing and full of struggle, and now you can unfold the map and see how you got there. I had that happen on my recent trip and I will make some quick points.

• When I moved to Portland I was not healthy spiritually. I was once a passionate man who had several arrows stuck in him. Also, at some point I had exchanged a simple relationship that had experiential power... for a system. The exchange rate was terrible.


• Also... spiritual forces are all around us and if you believe it or not we have all been under the influence of these at one time or another. I was drawn to things that appealed to me, but did not have the wisdom to see how other channels could bend me. I was being BENT.


• Maybe the most important was that I did not have a handle on GRACE. I recently chatted with a friend and talked about cutting someone slack. Since then, slack is the word I like to use for grace...slack grace. When I did not have slack I was tightening the rope...the person on the other end was being hung...me.


• Addictive personality...for some who don't know, there are a few who really cant handle one puff...one drink. I was always on a mission and there were things deep inside me driving it..until I could get free of those... something was going to surface...

So I was in Oregon and got a chance to see and hang out with my friends that I used to party hard with. We had all grown. More importantly I just see things different. These aren't my old
"party friends" they are just my friends. A community of people I was apart of who loved me. I have regained allot of simple things that I had once lost... and I have fallen in love with God again. I was there with my family, and I can say I had true joy and contentment. Most everyone said how happy I looked and deep down I know it is true.

So if I can persuade you at all (and believe me I am a persistent man) be addicted to Grace and once you have that much slack keep a simple relationship with a good GOD....deflect arrows and be aware of your surroundings...simple enough?