Truth

Aren't there moments where you need someone to spell out what you believe in the simplest of terms? For instance, have you ever struggled with why we read the scriptures. As a chaplain I read the scriptures mostly for those who are dying, as a comfort for families and give permission and hope to the dying. If you have a traditional church upbringing like I do, you have heard everything from "soup to nuts" about why we have the scriptures: map, guidebook, how to book, love letter, etc. And maybe this is nothing new under the sun for you. However, I needed the affirmation; probably because I have been too churched or overchurched or something.

Recently I read an article in Relevant Magazine entitled "The Right View of the Bible," written by Scot McKnight. This article was written as a response to a student's question: "What good is inerrancy, if you don't do what God says? If I do what God says, doesn't that show that my view of the Bible is the right one?" Inerrancy is lack of error; infallibility. All in orthodox, in the evangelical tradition believe that the scriptures are inerrant. This perspective has been argued by orthodox and "liberal" Christians for centuries. Some have believed that you can't be Christian if you don't believe in the inerrancy of scriptures.

McKnight wrote and I love this ... "Deep inside we know that the reason God gave us the Bible was not so we could figure out what the right view of it was. No, God gave us the Bible so that we could love God with reckless abandon and let that love overflow into reckless love for ourselves and for others in this world. There is a big difference between those who have the right view of the Bible and those who live it out." Scriptures are present so God can remind me and lavish me with his love, remind me how I am supposed to respond to that love ... how I need to react to my circumstances, how and why I am to build relationships with others. In other words, McKnight reminds ... reading scripture should lead us to a missional life, loving God and love others. This affirms what I say to clients and staff that religion is more about the relationship between loving God and loving others. This definitely helps with working at hospice.

Mr. McKnight thanks for the affirmation!

James 2:14, according The Message, speaks to this ... "Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it?"

www.relevantmagazine.com

This was a slice from www.relevantmagazine.com ... An eighth grader in New Jersey was sent home from school on Halloween for dressing as Jesus. Because that's way more offensive than dressing as Leatherface ...

"The church isn't an organization as much as it is an organism, an interdependent community of believers who selflessly offer their unique, God-granted talents for the purposes of furthering the ministry of the church." - Bill Hybels

A woman at a Dallas foreclosure auction purchased a complete stranger's foreclosed home, and then gave it back to her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THzi7O-W2AI

Study session part 2

If you went to Sojourn Sunday night, this theme sounds familiar. Here are the highlights. Confronting fear, facing it, fighting against it and not running from fear and uncertainty as the Israelites did - 1 Samuel 17: 24; or like Saul hid among the luggage, still being the tallest among all of them - and did not want to be king. Not pointing a finger, because realizing that "whoa, Nellie" that was me and could be me. Rick talked about reframing the problem. We do this in hospice all of time. Basically, what he said ... that it depends on what we see.

• Do we see the problem? or
  
• Do we see that God is way bigger than our problem or circumstances?

God is more concerned about our long term potential than our short term comfort. Ever talk to yourself ... that is what we should say to ourselves everytime we complain about nothing. Long term potential or short term comfort. Which one do we need more? Which one will be more beneficial to ourselves and our family? Which one will allow us to die with integrity? Most important, which one allows us to live life faithfully and with fullness? To requote a movie mentioned at Sojourn ... Die Hard: John McLain was scared and did not want to be there, talked to Carl Winslow from Family Matters, and felt like he had no choice - but do what was right no matter what the cost. He could have found some place in that building to hide but he did not ... he fought not sure of the outcome of his own life. Lesson needed to learn to fight the fear, instead of running from it.

Study session part 1

Chris and Samantha were studying history tonight and Chris asked her this question: "Why did the Pilgrims have a thankful spirit and determine to continue on even during the hard times that first winter?" Her first answer was ... the pilgrims were willing to do anything for their religious freedom. In other words, they were determined that no matter what ... nothing would stand in their way of experiencing freedom, worshiping God not mandated by some state church - worshiping God mandated by God, according to his scriptures. Here is the quote from her book, "Many of the Pilgrims became sick that winter. At one time, only seven were strong enough to take care of the sick. By spring, half of the Pilgrims had died. Yet there was no thought of giving up or complaining about being sick and cold and hungry." They did not give up. They did not want to give up because their faith determined how they would respond to their environment. They did not want to return to "their Egypt" under captivity of the king. They were determined to have freedom to worship God, wow! Can you imagine what that would be like? Fighting the government, elemental forces, fighting fear, uncertainty ... fight against it and not running away from it because you carve, want, yearn to worship God. That faith, community, worshiping God meant more than life itself. I want that. I want IT. We should all want IT.

National Anthem

Read my buddy's blog ... http://cardtrox.blogspot.com/ about the National Anthem and Fireproof. Good stuff!