Wandering in the wilderness. (wave your hands around and turn in a circle)

Hello friends, Do you remember what it felt like that first time you sat in the drivers seat of a car? The excitement, the anticipation, maybe a little bit of adrenaline. Some of you were incredibly nervous, some I assume were pretty calm. A few of you had paid close attention to your parents when they drove. You got behind the wheel and needed little instruction. Others didn’t pay attn or only noticed a part of what your parents were doing when they drove. You got behind the wheel and it seemed as if you couldn’t do anything right. All of us once we began driving saw the world from a whole new light. We noticed signs we had never seen before. We saw driveways as a place cars could come from instead of a space of cement we could ride our bikes on. The colors of a stop light actually began talking to us instead of just flashing. None of us could have taken a car that first time and driven across town or entered the freeway safely without our parents or instructor sitting beside us guiding the way. Most of us had to drive on empty roads a few days before we were allowed anywhere near any semblance of traffic. (Whether that was a paternal or financial instinct on the part of our parents is up for debate.) Time passes and finally we’ve learned and developed enough to drive solo. After a set time of training and testing the U.S. Department of Transportation finally said we could drive on our own. But they gave us limits. There are still certain types of vehicles we are not allowed to drive without further training and testing. We are not allowed to teach until we reach a certain age of accountability. It would seem crazy for us to just hand the keys to our car over to someone that has never driven. Actually it would be illegal and when they do get in an accident your insurance company will refuse to pay the claim.

What else in life do we need training in before we can do it on our own? Riding a bike, 12 years of school, vocational training, college, Go to court and a judge will strongly advice against defending yourself, shoot even our parents teach us to eat, how to safely cross the road, and protect us from strangers. We are guided along in almost every aspect of our life. Sometimes in a one to one basis, sometimes a large group setting, and others a small group. One thing is sure, one to one is always the best and brings about the quickest and more substantial growth.

If we recognize the importance of training just to operate normally in life why is it not emphasized in the church? In life we are born and have parents to feed, diaper and burp us. They teach us to walk and right from wrong. Then once we reach a certain age we go off to school but even then we bring home assignments that our parents help us with. We see our classmates doing things and we ask our parents about it when we get home. In church we are born and sent right off to College (If we’re lucky) More often it’s “Congrats welcome to the family here’s a book to read I’ll see you at church on Sunday… Oh and I recommend joining a home group as well.” The thinking is ludicrous where’s the logic? There is none. Even in College after four (or so) years of training we go through an internship. Maybe I’m wrong let’s check and see if the bible treats new believers the way we do. Take a minute to look for examples. I’ll wait…

Nope can’t find anything that fits our model. Let me know if you did. Here’s what I did find. In Deuteronomy I see Moses raising up Joshua, Go to Judges and it looks as if Joshua hadn’t mentored anyone. He died and those who served with him died and Israel began to falter. The entire book of Judges is a testament to what happens when “The Judge” doesn’t raise up a mentor. Judge alive Israel prospers, Judge dies Israel wanders. (move your hands about wildy and turn in a circle. That’s my tribute to my churches summer series.) Ok lets continue. Ruth has Naomi and gets written into the family line of God (Hmmm) Samuel had Eli (Look at Eli’s kids good sign that perhaps our parents should not be our “only” spiritual mentor) Elisha had Elijah and he got a double anointing. Lets move to the New Testament. Jesus took on 12 personally yet at one moment he sent out 70 (Luke 10: 1-12) Saul/Paul was picked up by Ananias, and spent “Time” with “the disciples” then had Barnabas, From there it kinda goes crazy and I haven’t studied enough to say who discipled who. Clearly Timothy had Paul. I could name some more but I think you get the point. Can I also say that this is the time the church was exploding even through immense persecution. I don’t believe that is a coincidence. Remember what happened after Joshua died and how Israel acted while between Judges.

If mentoring is so prominent in the bible and the effects are so obvious why are we not emphasizing its importance today? Why are we not mentoring? As far as I can see it’s one of three reasons or a combination. 1. We don’t fully recognize its need or importance. 2. We don’t think we have anything to offer. 3. We are too lazy.

If you do not yet recognize the importance let give you one more observation. Israel without Joshua or any of the other Judges lived according to their own understanding and the family fell apart. Today the church in our country has few mentors and it is hurting desperately seeking to have a voice and without its voice look at what is happening to our country. We have no mentor no one pointing us toward the things of God so we’re making it up. Doing what seems right. (“Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” Judges 21:25)

Ok, number one is out of the way. Lets attack number 2. Saul/Paul was preaching right away. Jesus Disciples were only with him for 3 years. Unless you were born yesterday there is always someone younger than you. But lets hit it for the cautious individual because I know a few of you just cringed a little bit. Mentoring doesn’t claim you know it all it just says you want to help guide. You know the importance of mentoring so you know that you need one as well. If you think you’re too young “find a mentor”. If you have a mentor then you’re not too young. Someone you are mentoring asks you a question and you don’t know the answer. You go to your mentor if he doesn’t know he goes to his. There! You’re not to young because you have back up. Number two is taken care of. Now the last excuse #3 I’m too lazy. GET OVER YOURSELF! Ok all of the excuses are taken care of. Now it’s time to go and find a “mentee”. Ask your pastor if he knows of anyone, maybe a kid in the church or a new believer. If he doesn’t know keep asking. Pray into it. God will lead you to the right person. If you need a mentor follow the same process. Is there someone you look up to? Ask them.

Shoot! I just realized it’s almost Christmas and I should have written about the season in some way and Gods gift to mankind. Ok, I’ll do it now. Gods gift to mankind (Jesus) did two things for us. He offered us salvation through his death on the cross and he MENTORED US!!! Why don’t you give a gift of yourself to someone this Christmas? Offer yourself as a mentor! Now it’s a Christmas message.

Merry Christmas everyone, Hey I have an idea lets do Christmas “UPSIDE DOWN”

No, I'm not over it yet!

If you read last weeks blog post you know that I was slightly upset by an encounter I had with another group of people that called themselves believers of Christ. I was upset on a number of levels. 1. I was upset by the natural reaction they had to us and the “Assumption” that we had bought a lie and needed witnessed too. 2. I was upset at the reaction of those I was with. “These guys were suffering from a spirit of Religion and they needed set free.” 3. I was upset at my reaction. “I have begun to move beyond that shallow thinking why can’t you?” Now let me ask you. Which of these reactions was the one that brought honor to God? .... I am going to assume you answered “None of the above” because I’m not sure any other answer can be justified. No, I’m not still kicking myself for my response and no I’m not mad at the others for the way they responded but I still have to say no I’m not over it yet. Yes, I’m over the frustration, yes I’m over the anger. But I’m not over the lesson that we should take home. I hope I never get over that. It is my goal to take the lessons learned from life’s observations & screw up’s and use them to grow. If not what good are they?

So what did I learn? What am I going to do with this information. 1. I’ve learned (or relearned) that there is a definite spirit of division in the church today. 2. I recognized that I am not above it. 3. It is important to fight against this spirit so it doesn’t over come us. So what are you going to do about it Larry? I’m glad you asked.

First: I am committing myself to never argue with a stranger about Christ. I am a firm believer that arguing doesn’t lead anyone to Christ. This doesn’t mean I wont discuss Christ and my belief or listen to others opinions but I will not let it move into an argument. Arguments only create ill will.

Second: I will do as we discussed the last couple weeks and “Test the spirits” This means that as I meet new people before we get into any discussion on religion I will ask them about their faith in Christ. If they are a believer in Jesus Christ and have accepted him as savior I will seek to find more common ground. Even if I recognize uncommon ground first I will skip that and continue to seek for common ground. No this does not mean that I will always ignore differences it only means that I want them to know that I recognize and respect them as a brother over our differences. If they are not a believer in Christ I will still seek to find common ground over attacking their unbelief. This way they know that I care for them either way and my desire to show them Christ comes from a caring for them not some religious fervor.

Any other steps will be determined according to the type of friendship that is developed. Do I expect to ever see them again? Are we working together daily, once a week, once a month?

If it is not a person I am meeting but an organization of some sort I will follow the same steps. I will not assume that a church follows Christ, I will not assume that a non-profit (even a religious one) follows Christ, I will not assume that someone I meet at church follows Christ. I will not assume because of their background or denomination that they do not follow Christ. No more assumptions and if I meet someone that is making assumptions I will be sure they realize that they are just that “Assumptions”

My friends we are in a war with a very cunning enemy. This enemy wants more than anything to divide our ranks. We cannot allow this to happen. We must put in the system “checks and balances” to ensure this does not happen. I have told you what mine are. As I progress in this life I may find a weakness in these checks and make a few adjustments. You can choose to follow these as well if you would like or you can come up with your own. But I challenge you to do it. Not only in this area but in other areas of your life as well. How do you check your growth in Christ? How do you know you are getting the best training possible? What about your fellow warriors brothers and sisters in Christ?

The good news is WE ARE ON THE WINNING TEAM! But there are still battles to be fought. Are you prepared to withstand the attack? Are you ready to go into battle? The enemy screwed up last week and revealed a weakness lets seal it and go out in one accord.

Have a great week Gang. As always lets “Live it Upside Down”

Sad or Mad? I think both!

This is not what I was planning on writing today and who knows maybe I shouldn’t since I haven’t had time to process yet. But it is what is on my mind and there is no way I would be able to recall my previous plans if I tried as this is so fresh and heavy on my heart. There is a spirit that is hiding itself in the church a very cunning and evil spirit that I think is causing more damage to Gods Kingdom here on Earth than perhaps any other and it reared its face today in a powerful way. Let me tell you it is UGLY! It is SLY! And it must be STOPPED! This thing is so sly that as soon as I tell you what it is you’re going to say “Oh I recognized that years ago” ME TOO! I’ve heard sermons about it. You would think It’s on the run because I’ve heard so many speak against it. Instead somehow it has dug it’s claws so deep into us that we don’t even recognize it anymore. I’m not even sure what to call it. It may be two spirits working in tandem I don’t know But we need to recognize its lies and stomp them the second they arrive. For now I’m going to give it two different names The spirit of “Division” and The Spirit of “Superiority”

Let me start by first saying there is just one church. That is GODS CHURCH! For those that may think I’m naming a specific denomination I’M NOT! If you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, Born of the virgin Mary, Crucified for our sins and raised from the dead three days later. If you believe that this Jesus is the ONLY way to God and have accepted his gift of salvation than you belong to “GODS CHURCH” Let me also throw in the Trinity Father, Son, Holy Spirit all wrapped in one. I don’t mean this as an after thought Just realized I shouldn’t assume that everyone thinks it’s a given. (Even though it is). For some reason it’s almost as if (Though no one will admit they believe this way) We have multiple religions that almost believe the same way. LIE, LIE, LIE, LIE!!! Did I say that enough? LIE! First let me say that I don’t believe God ever desired for us to be divided into multiple denominations. Show me an example from scripture I don’t think it’s possible. (That is the first sign that Satan is at work) I’ve heard it justified over the years by saying “I just have a different way I like to worship so I go here”, or “They just relate to God in a different way”. What a load of crap. Some now may choose a church for those reasons but that is not why we have so many different types of churches. Honestly I don’t know how all the different churches came to be. Each one has it’s own story and there-in lies the root of the problem. “I have an understanding of God that is different than the current churches so I’ll begin my own thing”. I’m beginning to dive into uncharted waters (As in I haven’t studied how each church came to be.) so I’ll stop there and move on.

No matter how each church came to be there seems to be an underlying lie that accompanied it. “I know something of God that you can’t grasp so I’m moving on” or “I know God better than you do so I’m moving on” (PLEASE AS WE MOVE ON REALIZE I AM NOT TALKING EVERY PERSON, EVERY CHURCH. IF THIS ISN’T YOU PRAISE GOD)

God has given each and everyone of us special giftings, talents, and understandings of who he is. I assume he has done that because there are many different types of people in the world and he wants his people to be able to relate to all of them so they might come to him. But what seems to have happened is 1. God moves in a new way 2. The church doesn’t know what to think of it 3. A new denomination is born wrapped around that experience. 4. An underlying I’m better than you vibe begins to grow in the new church. 5. The old church prays for the new church because this move can’t be from God it must be a lie.

Let me tell you what happened today that has me so upset. Since I’m on a road trip and don’t really have a home I participated as an outsider which is probably why I saw the beast with-in (So to speak). For those that don’t know I am currently visiting Bethel Church in Redding, CA (If you don’t know Bethel check it out God is doing some pretty cool stuff) I was out with a couple people from Bethel (On what is called a treasure Hunt) We began speaking with some guys from a local bible college (We were at the campus) They instantly knew where we were from and went into “Witnessing mode” (Now please don’t think I’m going to rag on them alone stick with me) It was clear that somewhere along the line they had a discussion about the beliefs of Bethel and why they were wrong and the (Bethel) congregation was buying a lie. Now I’ve heard this before so I’m not too terribly surprised. But what surprises me is the mode that EVERYONE kicked into. Both groups begin arguing their points. I would like to say discussing their positions so we could leave with a mutual understanding of the others position and leave agreeing to research in scripture what the other had to say and then prayerfully go to God for his guidance and wisdom. But that would imply that we were listening to each other. One of the people I was with I saw her stance change and her kick into “It’s on! mode” The guys were more laid back with a smirk on their faces like “This is going to be fun” I must admit I had that thought as well. I loves me a good debate it challenges me to think. Many of you could guess what the debate was about but that’s not the important part. I don’t even want you to assume you know where I stood because you’d probably be wrong (It isn’t that obvious) We get into the discussion and after awhile I begin to hear others repeating to me things I said clear at the beginning but it was as if was their thought or idea. That makes me take a step back and watch others a bit closer. I can see it in their eyes. Nobody is listening to the other instead they are listening for the opportunity to make their next point. The two viewpoints 1. They are suffering from a spirit of religion. 2. They have bought a lie. 1. I must set them free 2. I must not buy into the lie

Anyway we finish gather in a group like a nice “Christian Family” and pray one person from each side. Yep you guessed it the prayers are like closing arguments instead of prayers. (A whole different topic) We hop in the car and instantly “Can you believe this, how about that?, and what about that prayer oh my” all along I am picturing them doing the same thing at the school. It is so sad because we all have something to offer each other me to you and you to me. I’m not going to type it all out here but read 1 Corinthians 12 ALL OF IT. We all have differing gifts and they are to work together to make one body.

One of the people I was chatting with today. My heart so reaches out to him. I don’t know what happened in his life or in a friends life but I could see it in his eyes. “I can’t open up in this way I don’t want to be sold another lie” This is why I go back to last weeks blog topic but ad a new verse 1 Corinthians 12: 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the holy spirit. Don’t be so afraid of buying a lie that you accept the truth. On the flip side another person was so convinced that they were 100% correct that they wouldn’t have heard it if anyone did correctly reveal where they were wrong.

My friends we are the body of Christ and Satan wants desperately to keep us divided. We must fight against that division. We must take the time to recognize our differences not as lies or a failure to grow but as an opportunity to join together for one purpose. “To show the world the Love of God” and in so doing we might just might glean a little bit of light from each other as well. John 17: 20 – 21 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in me, and I in you; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me,

Ok gang that was another long one. Hopefully it was direct enough to follow without too many wonderings. Have a great week and as always lets “Live it upside down”