What are we created for?

I had a very interesting conversation this past weekend with a man older than I that really provoked me to contemplate on his idea of Christianity. Whether it's what he says or not--it's more about actions.
His pastor has started involving the church in ministering to the community. He said the pastor made a comment that he didn't believe in fishing with one kind of bait to only receive one kind of fish--instead fish with a net and bring all the fish in. It bothered this guy because the pastor was trying to include black people. I listened for a little while and simply said, "Looks like your pastor is on the mark with what Jesus set the example for." Not what he was wanting to hear.
I told him that this summer I have led my students in missions and we have looked at scriptures about what we should be doing in our own community--that the first week this summer we spent in a black trailer park. He said yeah--but did they come to your church. I said none have yet, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't. I told him that if the church was really the church--there would be no need for welfare or things like that. We should be accomplishing these things through the love of Christ. Jesus never said--only help those who help themselves--he just said help!
He replied that I was technically correct but he just couldn't see giving his hard earned money to someone who lays around and does nothing. (again missing the point)
I began to think about what Jesus said about the rich.
Mathew 19
21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Until recently did I realize that this is a perfect picture of just about every American. If your reading this--you are rich. You have a computer or access to one, and numerous other things like a car, which only 8% of the world have. We are RICH! And it is very hard for us to let go of our possessions to give to others who are in need.

The "man" this weekend also said--"you know my dad loved God more than anybody, but he would look a black guy in the eye and say--'Don't disrespect me #%*ger!'"
In the book of 1John, chapter 4 talks about REAL LOVE. If we say we love God and hate our brother--then we are a liar.

The way of God is straight and narrow. Only a few go through. When Jesus appeared on the scene in flesh he began to show the Pharisees and religious leaders it was about the heart--not outward actions. If our hearts are right--it will show!

A good friend of mine told me something lately that I have decided is very true. I used to think to myself--people better get used to all races together because they're going to be in heaven with them. But my friend said--they better get used to it because they're going to be in hell with them.
Look at Mathew 7
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

I am in no way perfect or do I claim to be. I know that my spirit is righteous because of the blood of Jesus and that my flesh still messes up. But I do think that sometimes we don't take the Lord serious and for the most part there are people sitting in churches who are lost and think they are going to heaven. We must be changed from the inside out and see the Love of Christ spread all around us!

I leave you with a quote from the book Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell:

The church doesn't exist for itself; it exists to serve the world. It is not ultimately about the church. When the church loses sight of this, it loses its heart. This is especially true today in the world we live in where so many people are hostile to the church, many for good reason. We reclaim the church as a blessing machine not only because that is what Jesus intended from the beginning but also because serving people is the only way their perceptions of church are ever going to change. This is why it is so toxic for the gospel when Christians picket and boycott and complain about how bad the world is. This behavior doesn't help. It makes it worse. It isn't the kind of voice Jesus wants his followers to have in the world. Why blame the dark for being dark? It is far more helpful to ask why the light isn't as bright as it could be.

The Tree

God has really been showing me a few things lately through a tree on my back porch. This tree was given to Julie last year by her mom. During the winter months we put the tree in a green house but never watered it all year. The lack of water and the heat from the light in the green house killed the plant. Let me describe it for you: when we took the plant out of the green house it was completely dry and fragile. There was no moisture in the plant including the roots. We checked the plant out completely, and we thought of even throwing it away and starting over. I convinced Julie to replant the tree and as we did I remembered the story of Jesus speaking to the fig tree. I also thought about how he breathed on the disciples. So I combined those two stories--I spoke to the plant and commanded it to come to life and bloom, and then I breathed on it. I didn't think twice about what I was doing because I know that those of whom God has called--he believes they can do everything he did. Julie looked at me and just smiled like--"your crazy." I thought--well maybe I am, but after all how many people in the Bible sound logical. We continued to water the plant and after about two months the plant began to get a little color back to the stems and eventually--became a beautiful tree. The picture above is the actual plant that I took a picture of yesterday.

Since I noticed how the tree had flourished so well, God began to talk to me pretty strongly about prayer and the power of speaking to my problems. He began to show me and help me understand that we do have power and authority that He has given us. It's not our power but His through us and is readily available. He doesn't say to get down in the dumps about our situations but rather speak to those problems--even if those situations seem dead or hopeless.

You say, "But Brian I don't know about all that...sounds pretty stupid to me to speak to your problems." I ask you--what did God do with problems? He spoke to them. When there was no light--he spoke it out; when there was no plants--he spoke it out; when there were no people--he spoke and formed them.

Your probably saying, "...but that's God." Your correct. According to Epheshians 5:1 we are to be imitators of God--to be just like Him. Also, Jesus became flesh so we would know what God was like. After showing us what God was like, Jesus gave us authority to do the same things he did--Mathew 10 and 28.

I want to share a story with you that maybe you've never noticed.

In Ezekiel 37:1-14

1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."
4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "

The bones were totally dry and dead--just like my plant. When this crossed my mind I was blown away at the incredible power that is readily available--if we only believe. Rob Bell tells a story about the ways of the Jewish Rabbi which caused me to buy some books on some of the old Jewish traditions. I recommend watching this video by him--Dust. In short, a rabbi would not call a person to be his disciple unless the rabbi believed the person was capable of doing EVERYTHING the rabbi did. God has called us to be his disciples, given us authority and power, but we still do not believe. God does--what are we waiting for?

getting started

I feel very illiterate writing on this thing. I have read numerous posts by an intellectual genius that will really make you think (Matt McDonald). Because of his influence, I have decided to partake in this extravaganza. When deciding on the title of the blog, I remembered the old Saturday Night Live clips of Deep Thoughts with Jack Handy. Realizing that my thoughts may not go as deep as I would like--I came up with the title. I assume that I will use this as a ministry tool, announcements, and of course my random thoughts. I hope though to impart some knowledge that I've found along the way that will help you out as we travel on this journey together. See You Soon! Oh, by the way, walt in the address comes from my middle name (Walton) which Dusty calls me on occasion--besides it was the only address I could find available.