There is hope and it is NOT in the church.
What impact does the church have on the way you experience life? I mean really. Does it change the way you act at work or how you treat your wife and family? Does it encourage you to personally help the poor and less fortunate than you? Does it care you suffer from depression? Does it help you when you have lost your job? Is the church even revelant to your life? I think likely not. The church is irrelevant to most.
Does that offend you? I hope so. If you are a believer you should be offended. If you are a nonbeliever you should be offended. I mean really. If you have the faith to be a NONbeliever then there should be distinguishing characteristics about you that the world can easily identify what group you belong to. The same can be said for the believer. If you have the faith to be a believer then the world should be able to easily identify you as such.
Yet, six days and maybe even seven days a week we are no different. We talk the same. We eat the same foods. We drink the same beverages. We watch the same sports. We take the same vacations. We do it all, THE SAME!
Or at least that is the way it has been for generations, but there is change in the wind. There appears to be a deep social and spiritual dissatisfaction with the way things are. There appears to be an awakening from deep within our human consciousness to a driving desire for something more. Do you feel it? If you are honest with yourself, you know the feeling. You may choose to keep it buried most of the time, but it is there.
You feel it when you give change to the beggar on the corner. You feel it when you hear of your friend’s child struggling with cancer. You feel it when your spouse rejects you for someone else. You feel it when your child is picked up with drugs. There is within you a deep desire for something better.
I want to encourage you with hope. For you, it may not be in the local traditional church. You may have already been let down or burnt by the church, but there is still hope. The hope was never in the church to begin with. The hope is in Jesus. This is the change that is in the wind…
There are home churches springing up all over the state, country and world. Members of these churches are unwilling to continue play acting the role of “good christian”. The people of these home churches have taken seriously their social and spiritual conscious to do something positive in the world they live. It is their total desire to be honest with themselves and friends while looking through the eyes of Jesus.
The enlightened believe God is alive and well and desiring to do great things through each of them. They are no longer passive participants in their faith. They are actively, aggressively, sincerely and maybe even recklessly doing as God directs. They are allowing God to shape their future, not letting others tell them what box they should live in. They are part of the revolution.
If you feel a similar dissatisfaction with your local traditional church, temple, mosque or cathedral experience, surf to: Fresh Connections and begin your journey, living a life with meaning and power! God willing, Fresh Connections will have its first gathering in the new year. God bless.
We are church in our neighborhoods…
Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection…
Zacchaeus hosted one of the 1st Organic home churches.
Zacchaeus was a wee little man
And a wee little man was he
He climbed up in a sycamore tree
For the Lord he wanted to see
And as the Savior passed that way
He looked up in that tree
And He said, “Zacchaeus, you come down!
For I’m going to your house today
For I’m going to your house to stay”
See if this works for you. Zacchaeus as a wee little man was a man of humility. It is in his humility that Jesus draws close, acknowledging the condition of Zacchaeus heart.
Zacchaeus climbs in a tree. He in his humility is positioned above the crowd and noise of life. He has taken the initiative to find a vantage point to see Jesus. He does not let obstacles obstruct his view or actions. He wants to see Jesus and takes steps to make it happen.
Jesus in His sovereignty passes by Zacchaeus knowing he is waiting to see Him. Jesus with a smile on His face, tells Zacchaeus to come down from his isolated perch and join Him in communion.
It is Jesus that knows the heart of Zacchaeus and announces He is going to the house of Zacchaeus with plans to stay. Zacchaeus may have unknowingly hosted one of the 1st organic home churches. WOW!
In a nutshell… as best I understand it today, a focus on Jesus requires humility, a desire to see Jesus, an active positioning to see Jesus, a knowledge of what to look for in order to focus on Jesus and a willingness to take Him home.
Jesus will be there in the process from beginning to end.
Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection…
Thru Linda’s Eyes
GUEST POST by Jeffery Chandler:
This past weekend my family and I had the pleasure of having Barbara and Brie’s friend, Linda, stay with us for four nights. Linda is a 23 year old African from the small Kenyan village of Lemuru and is now in the U.S. indefinitely. Barbara and Brie first met Linda during their 2006 mission trip to Kenya and they became fast friends. Thanks to the internet they’ve been able to stay connected. Barbara got to visit Linda again during her June 2008 trip as well. Linda’s been in Texas for about six weeks living with her sponsor family in a small town north of Fort Worth. This was her first trip to the big city of San Antonio and we were bound and determined to show her some south Texas hospitality, meaning overwhelm her with love, food, activities, and attention.
Many of the things we were able to do with her were “firsts” for Linda. She got her first taste of San Antonio Tex-Mex food (she may have had some so-called Mexican food in Fort Worth but this is the real deal in my humble opinion of course); her first ride on a boat (the Riverwalk barge cruise); and her getting her first pair of short pants! We all wondered what her dad and mom, back in Lemuru, would say to that? Linda’s sponsor family in north Texas had orientated her well on many things American prior to her visit to south Texas but we were truly blessed to take her orientation to a whole other level.
Maybe the funniest moments with Linda started with our taking her to the top of the Hemis-fair tower in downtown San Antonio on Saturday morning. She was amazed to be, in her words, “on top of the world”. She was scared to death too of course, and the high winds that day didn’t help at all. At the bottom of the tower she got to experience her first IMAX/4D movie, “Skies over Texas”. This was a funny time as she (and us too) screamed at the special effects, especially when the rattlesnake tail crosses over your feet and legs and it feels so real.
On Monday morning we took Linda to Sea World (another first) and probably the most amazing thing I witnessed was Linda’s reaction to getting to touch a real, live dolphin at the feeding pool. We saw the sheer amazement in her face and the joy she experienced by being able to be so up close and personal with one of God’s most awesome creatures. Seeing that joy on her face was a WOW moment for me as well and pretty much brought tears to my eyes.
While at Sea World Linda got her first roller coaster rides and those were very memorable (and hilarious) moments for sure. During her first coaster ride, on the Steel Eel, we saw sheer terror on Linda’s face (and we have it captured on film, thanks to Sea World’s coaster camera) as we descended that first drop. At the end of the ride she could hardly walk and there were tears in her eyes. I believe they were tears of joy at the freedom she felt in being able to be here in the USA and riding her first coaster. Brie said that Linda screamed the entire ride (of course I couldn’t hear her screams because I too was screaming).
After that we ramped up the excitement another notch and took her to her second coaster ride, this time on The Great White. That ride proved to be even more terrifying for poor Linda. The Great White is one of those coasters where you sit in a harness with your feet dangling (there’s no floor) while the ride takes you upside down a couple of times, and sideways at high speeds. Needless to say, when the ride stopped Linda couldn’t move – she was frozen in terror. We had to tell her that she needed to get off so that those people waiting could get on and if she didn’t move the attendants would make her ride it again (at that thought she got up). Again she cried but with a smile. We literally had to help her walk down the ramp to exit. The Great White had turned her world upside down, literally (and my world too, I was one extremely dizzy 56 year old dude afterwards).
You might be asking, just how did Linda get the courage to ride these exciting and scary rides? In addition to Barbara and Brie’s urging of her, Linda has a sense of adventure as evidenced by her willingness to leave her tiny village and travel thru places like Eldoret and Nairobi in Kenya, on to London, and ultimately to Texas. Even though she traveled with American friends she was alone in her ethnicity and culture. She truly believes that God has a purpose for her here in the states, and we know that to be true. So even though she may have been absolutely terrified on the Steel Eel and The Great White coasters (so was I) she carried on like a real trooper in her bravery.
I cannot fathom what Linda thinks of our culture, our foods, our fast paced lifestyles, and, relatively speaking, our big homes. Her comments about our foods usually include, “very spicy”. When she talks about our lifestyles she says, “everyone is in such a hurry”. And she is just amazed at the sizes of our homes. It must be simply mind-boggling to be in Linda’s shoes and to see the U.S. culture thru her eyes. Hopefully it’s a mind-boggling thing in a good way. I can still hear Linda say over and over in her Queen’s English accent, “I can’t believe I’m really here in San Antonio with you, it’s really happening”.
Linda tried to teach Barbara, Brie, and me some of her tribal dances. I can honestly say that Barbara and Brie got it. It was hopeless for me. Whenever I tried to match their steps and rhythm Linda would break out laughing and it was over for me. That was the gist of my tribal dancing. Oh well. I suppose it proves that old saying that one cannot teach an old dog new tricks.
I can only imagine the things that Linda is sharing with her family and friends via the internet. We pray for Linda’s safe passage into this culture and we pray for God’s plans for her to come to fruition. I’m happy to have a new friend.
Have you ever done anything really stupid?
Guest post by: Marianne
First there was Y2K. I stocked up, waiting for the end of the world. God told me not to worry, but I did not listen. Then nothing happened, and I forgot about all the stuff in my storage shed. About 5 years later, I went in and had to throw a lot of stuff out.
Then, I got an email back in October saying there was going to be another disaster, so guess what i did. I stocked up again, but this time it was my car that got stuffed. I was waiting to get bombed by Russians or someone, and I knew that when the tribulation started, Jesus told his disciples to head for the hills. So, I was going to do that too. No clue where I was exactly going, or how long I would be there.
Well, we have not been bombed yet. My car is full of stuff. While most people go to their pantry to get a new item to open and use, I go to my car.
It is only a Toyota Corolla!
here is my inventory overview:
Fruit loops
Sugar – 10 bags
laundry detergent
eye liner
deodorant
canned meat
bar soap
shampoo
coffee supplies
mashed potatoes
toilet paper
pancake syrup
canned fruit
canned vegetables
apple sauce
oodles of noodles
baby powder
apple juice
drinking water
cat food
aluminum foil
underwear
sleep aid – I guess I have to sleep through the bombs
canned chinese
first aid stuff
tuna
chicken noodle soup
honey bunch cheerios
rice
paper towels.
toothpaste
tooth brushes
Well, aren’t I silly? It is a little strange. I had to give a ride to some friends, and I had to move all the piles of food over, to give them a place to sit. It is well organized, and a lot of it is boxed up. My son wanted apple sauce to go with his pork chops, but I could not remember where the apple sauce was in the car, until I checked a while ago. In box # 3!!!
Jesus told us to be prepared for his coming. I bet he was not thinking of me when he said this. 
Did I go to some crazy extreme? Yes…….
But would I go to such a crazy extreme to prepare for Him to come as well?
definitely!
While the neighbors think I am nuts, I am all too excited about the Lords’ return. He told us to be ready. He told us to have our lamps lit, and full of oil. Well, I am ready. You should see the back of my car! I have oil lamp back there too! ( being Funny here)
Jesus told us that the kingdom of heaven is like little children. They just believe what they are told, and they get all excited about things, and go to the extreme with childlike faith and enthusiasm. That is how He wants us to be also.
We may not have to stuff our cars, but we should be very excited in our preparations for His return. We should be on fire for Him, and not cold or lukewarm.
God Spot Verified
From my friend Faith. What a great name!
My Thoughts:
Jeremiah 10:6
No one is like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power.
So…most of you know that this last week was pretty intense for my family. I received the call Friday evening from my parents telling me that my mom had been having chest pains, had been to a cardiologist, and that she would have a heart catheterization (with stints or bypass) on Monday. My entire family rushed to Missouri to be with my mom and dad. My mom was having all the symptoms of a heart attack on Sunday and was taking nitroglycerin. On Monday, the doctor told us that my mom had some anomalies (defects) and 2 clogged and calcified coronary arteries. He told us that he was pretty sure that she was going to have a triple bypass. We rallied, prayed, and hoped for the best.
An hour passed and the doctor came out with a perplexed expression on his face. He said, “She’s fine. Actually she is better than fine. Her arteries have zero plague and no calcification. Being 65, she should have some but she doesn’t. Not only is she plague free, but the abnormalities on the CAT scan just aren’t there anymore. I cannot explain it, and I called 3 other doctors in to look…God must have performed a miracle.”
My mom went home that evening and has had no chest pain or any symptoms. My mom says that all her symptoms went away shortly before they wheeled her into the procedure room and that it was fascinating to watch the doctors freaking out because they didn’t see what they thought they would. They even checked to make sure they had the right CAT scan.
I am praising God because I truly believe He healed my mom…a mighty demonstration of His power. As you pray and listen to God this week, what is God demonstrating to you?
Fact or Fiction? God Spot or Not?
“All the time that Peter was under heavy guard in the jailhouse, the church prayed for him most strenuously…
Suddenly there was an angel at his side and light flooding the room. The angel shook Peter and got him up: "Hurry!" The handcuffs fell off his wrists. The angel said, "Get dressed. Put on your shoes." Peter did it. Then, "Grab your coat and let’s get out of here." Peter followed him, but didn’t believe it was really an angel—he thought he was dreaming.
Past the first guard and then the second, they came to the iron gate that led into the city. It swung open before them on its own, and they were out on the street, free as the breeze.”
I was chatting on-line with a person yesterday who said they had lost their faith. They didn’t believe the Bible anymore and felt like that was the truth. I wonder why it is we believe what we believe?
It seems that even as Peter had an angel that encouraged him to believe in circumstances that appeared to only be a dream, we were sent the Holy Spirit so that we would believe.
The difficulty for those that don’t perceive the presence of the Holy Spirit is believing without seeing. That is called faith. In the midst of living life, our faith is challenged when God doesn’t perform to our expectations. We conclude there must not be a God.
Oddly enough, it is those same circumstances that pulled us away from God that could have drawn us closer. The missing ingredient is faith. Without faith, it is unlikely you will know the presence of the Holy Spirit. It all comes down to believing in what you don’t see such that you can see.
God is amazing!
Where is God in the Midst of Battle?
Is God a deserter? Does He put you on the front lines and then take two steps back?
“Saul spent a few days getting acquainted with the Damascus disciples, but then went right to work, wasting no time, preaching in the meeting places that this Jesus was the Son of God…. But their suspicions didn’t slow Saul down for even a minute. His momentum was up now and he plowed straight into the opposition…
After this had gone on quite a long time, some Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul got wind of it. They were watching the city gates around the clock so they could kill him. Then one night the disciples engineered his escape by lowering him over the wall in a basket”.
Is there anyone that does not believe God was in the midst of this struggle? It is easy to believe God was there because Paul was all about pursuing God’s pleasure on his life. We are no different 2000 years later.
Jesus said something like, God I really don’t want to be mutilated on the cross. But if that is what You want, I am all in!
Here’s the deal. God can use anything in your life to achieve His objective. That being for you to bring glory to Him. Here’s a tip. Get your eyes off yourself and get them on Jesus.
When Paul, Jesus or whoever was being killed for their obedience, where were their eyes? That’s right! They were on God. So, you are out of a job or you lost your retirement fund. Maybe you are dieing of cancer. Maybe your wife cheated on you. Maybe your kids are dirt bags. Pick your poison. It is all out there and will splash on you someday. Where are your eyes?
Mechanically, what does that mean? That means pray without ceasing. Read the Word with hunger and passion. Literally, fall on your face. Stretch out on the ground. Cry out the name of Jesus. Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! God, put my eyes on you. Give me the strength to be faithful. If you can save me and I still experience your abundance, that would be good! If not, I choose to love you and experience your abundance throught this incredible pain I am experiencing.
Do you get it, yet? It is not all about you. It is ALL ABOUT GOD! Don’t plead to get out of the fire. Plead to get through the fire without the smell of smoke.
Christians are wimps! Don’t argue. Go!
“…the Master said, Don’t argue. Go! I have picked Saul as my personal representative… And now I’m about to show him what he’s in for—the hard suffering that goes with this job." archie paraphrase
What ever made you think that being a believer of “the way” meant you would not suffer? Do you think God made you and gave you eternal life so you could have the world massage your feet and feed you grapes?
Get over it. It is tough being a believer. It is even tougher to be faithful and be a believer.
God made you to bring Him glory and lay it at His feet. God made you to love Him. He has loved you from the beginning of time. It is your time to return His love by bringing Him glory in the midst of the raunchy circumstances you find yourself in. Praying to your version of the magic slot machine in the sky is not God’s idea of you gifting Him.
Bringing Him glory is praising Him for what He has done for you in sacrificing His Son on the cross. That is but a minimum. Getting past the minimum is sharing His love with others through kind acts, Words and thoughts.
When you lead a lost person to a knowledge and appreciation of God’s love, you hit a home run with God! Really! That is why you are here. You are here to share Christ with others, which places glory at God’s feet.
So get out of the batters box and do what you were designed for. Praise God. Then, show others “the way”. God bless.
Situational Ethics
Have you bought into this thing called Situational Ethics and not even know it? See if you can relate to this. Suppose your son, who you love very much does something really despicable. You confront him and he is ambivalent to your judgment on his behavior. So much so that he habitually commits the same act over and over while he lives in your house, eating your food and disrupting your life.
Situational Ethics might say, “Dump the kid. He’s no good. He will never be any good and he is a drain on every thing you are trying to do for the rest of your family. Understand? You take action for the common good of the rest of the family. Sounds admirable and likely something you may do on a regular basis in a different venue.
Now if you are a believer, there is a problem. The problem is God. He makes the rules. You decide whether to follow them. God through His Word gives us the story of the prodigal son. Dad gives son his inheritance. Son blows it all on wild women and song. Son eats pig swill and finally understands his father’s unconditional love.
No where in the story does the father say to the son, “If you don’t meet my standards, you are not my son.” A son will always be a son, regardless of whether you choose to acknowledge him as a son or not. God makes the rules. You choose whether to follow.
There is only abundance for those that love the Lord and live a life according to His good will and purpose.
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