Preaching

I got a call from a dear friend who invited me to fill his pulpit in a few weeks.

Over the last few weeks I have thinking and praying about preaching being used more in ministry.

This Sunday I am filling in for one of our Elder's Sunday school class.

I really feel called to work with a small church pastoring and preaching.

I don't know what this will look like totally but I am trusting God to see it through.

Stand with me and pray for His will.

Explicit Lyrics

The song lyrics below are from a song called "What It's Like" by Everlast. It was written by Erik Schrody. He also was with the band House of Pain. It is a rap / acoustic song.

The song has some curse words in it but at the same time it has a poignant message.

We tend to judge things by the surface. We look at what we can see and never get to the heart of a matter.

Growing up I was taught to never judge a person until you have walked a mile in their shoes. My grand mother showed me an article written in our home town's news paper called "a mile in my moccasins". The lesson stuck.

I need a reminder sometimes. Sometimes in life we do need to make quick decisions. But not all the time. We really need to get to know a person and how they got where they are. Why? We have to find common ground to build upon. Calling someone a "slob, sinner, killer, thug, loser" before we know how they got their is not helpful.

To lead them to the Cross we have to find the starting point. The woman caught in the act, was not condemned but forgiven by Jesus. Paul wrote to Philemon and appealed to him to free the slave. Jesus entered the home and touched the dead child.

We have to relate. We cant put up barriers and pre-conditions and expect results.

These lyrics tell the story. Yes there is "bad language" but look at the underlying message. See past the exterior and listen with your heart.

Think about them the next time you see the bum, pregnant girl, thug on the corner or who ever....there is an underlying story.

Just my rambling thoughts...


What It's Like...

We've all seen the man at the liquor store beggin' for your change
The hair on his face is dirty, dreadlocked and full of mange
He ask the man for what he could spare with shame in his eyes
Get a job you fuckin' slob's all he replied

[CHORUS]
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues
Then you really might know what it's like [x4]

Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom who said he was in love
He said don't worry about a thing baby doll I'm the man you've been dreamin' of
But three months later he said he won't date her or return her call
And she sweared god damn if I find that man I'm cuttin' off his balls
And then she heads for the clinic and she gets some static walkin' through the doors
They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner, and they call her a whore

[CHORUS]
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose
Then you really might know what it's like [x4]
I've seen a rich man beg
I've seen a good man sin
I've seen a tough man cry
I've seen a loser win
And a sad man grin
I heard an honest man lie
I've seen the good side of bad
And the down side of up
And everything between
I licked the silver spoon
Drank from the golden cup
Smoked the finest green
I stroked the baddest dimes at least a couple of times
Before I broke their heart
You know where it ends
Yo, it usually depends on where you start

I knew this kid named Max
He used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugs
He liked to hang out late at night
Liked to get shit faced
And keep pace with thugs
Until late one night there was a big gun fight
Max lost his head
He pulled out his chrome .45
Talked some shit
And wound up dead
Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of his pain
You know it crumbles that way
At least that's what they say when you play the game

[CHORUS]
God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to lose
Then you really might know what it's like [x3]
To have to lose...

Vanity

I love the song "Your So Vain" by Carly Simon...

The line about "clouds in the coffee" I thought she said "clowns in the copy"...

You walked into the party
Like you were walking onto a yacht
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf it was apricot
You had one eye in the mirror
As you watched yourself gavotte
And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner
They'd be your partner, and

You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?

You had me several years ago
When I was still quite naive
Well, you said that we made such a pretty pair
And that you would never leave
But you gave away the things you loved
And one of them was me
I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee, and

You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?

I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee, and

You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?

Well, I hear you went up to Saratoga
And your horse naturally won
Then you flew your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun
Well, you're where you should be all the time
And when you're not, you're with
Some underworld spy or the wife of a close friend
Wife of a close friend, and

You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you? Don't you?

You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you

You're so vain (so vain)
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you? Don't you?

Maturity

This morning's message really got me thinking today....(Good job Pastor Ross)

Ross talked about growing in maturity. He talked about our growth in the Gospel. Our growth does not come from a check list or a "7 step secret"...do this and you will succeed.

For along time I heard a lot about doing the right things in the right formula and God must bless you or answer you....

But it is not about human effort. Does growth take work? Yes I believe it does. But it is not a simple check list that by human effort we achieve our sanctification. It is taking the time and wrestling with the deep things of God. Of knowing who we are and who He is. It is His Holy Spirit communing (back and forth) with our Spirit...(being born again, it is that same Spirit).

In that back and forth, we grow. We see things in the light of Christ. We see things in the mind of Christ. We see things past a mere conversion. We move to a place of a deeper understanding of Gospel.

The Gospel is not a state of salvation. It is the greatest story ever told. It is relationship between God and us. When He said the tabernacle of God is with men...his tent is right in the middle of our lives. His Kingdom is all around us.

Growing in God is bigger than learning moral teaching and completing a list.

What is it God wants to do in your life that you are resisting?

Ambushed

Have you ever wondered how and why God loves us?

Despite our dark sins, despite our feeble prayer life, our inconsistent discipleship, our what ever......

He loves us. He dares us to doubt the love he has for us.

Thank you that you love me. Thank you that you died for me. Thank you that despite my dark sin, my feeble prayer life, my inconsistent walk as a disciple and my discipleship....you love me.

Jesus, I love you. I am not lovable but I love you.

Blaise Paschal wrote..."God made man in His own image....and man returned the favor"

Let me never think lowly of you my God, my savior.

I am yours. I am a bruised reed that you will not break. I am a smoldering wick that you will not snuff out...

MLK

Today we celebrate a man who was cut down too soon. We take the day off. So many don't know what he did. So many don't know what he stood for.

As history goes on, fewer and fewer people will know all that he did and died for. It will be simply a few paragraphs in a history book. One of the first times I think i heard about Dr. King was in a U2 song on the Rattle and Hum album.

We need to tell the story. We are not too far from segregation. There are still reminders of it all over the place.

In the courthouse in the county I work it, if you go to the top floor near the library, if you look you can still read "white men restroom."

In my home town when I grew up there was "the campus." It was the black school until integration in 68 ( i think). It was still there as I grew up in the late 70's and 80's. We would pass by it and I remember it being pointed out as "the black school."

It is torn down now. I don't know if that is good or bad. Maybe we need reminders of the ignorance that divided our society. Maybe we don't. It is a fact of history. It is one thing to read about it in a history book, it is another to be able to walk up to it and touch it.

"early morning, April 4, shot rings out in the Memphis sky, free at last, they took your life, they could not take your pride......"

Doves - the return

This morning I started to get frustrated. I was looking through some things and some feelings of anger, resentment...etc...etc...

Out of no where The Doves that were such a blessing in mine and Liz's life return. They sat outside our window and sang to us.

God knows our need, before we need it. God knows how to reveal Himself to us in ways we will understand.

I have had some awesome encounters with God that I understood, though others may not. But I think God can and does reveal Himself in diverse ways so that we understand and will not miss the Message.

The Message of a Redeemer. A Message that He goes before us and is our rear guard. A Message that He owns the Cattle on a thousand hills.

Thank you El Shaddai....