As I've been reevaluating so many things, I can't help but consider the topic of giving. I’ve decided to break the problems I see down into two sections. Now, this sounds like it is going to be a negative post because I used the word, “problem”, but I hope this will be an encouragement to give more and to give in a more godly way.
The first problem I see is writing checks. Sounds silly right? Not a big deal? Or maybe you don’t know where I’m going with this. But, consider how unbiblical writing a check at church is. Jesus said,
"“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. " (Matthew 6:1, NASB95)
"“But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. " (Matthew 6:3-4, NASB95)
I believe writing a check at church is practicing our righteousness before men. By doing this, we are not giving in secret. I’ve been the one to count the offering at two different churches in the past. By doing that for a couple of weeks, I was easily able to know who gave and who didn’t. This caused me on different occasions to think and act differently towards certain people (Nothing too serious).
Maybe you don’t think this way, but when I give in the form of a check, there’s something inside of me that is happy that there will be at least one person who knows that I give. I especially like this feeling when I’ve given larger sums of money. This is terribly ungodly!
Our justification for writing checks is the tax-write off. I’ve heard it argued that it would be unwise not to take advantage of this tax break. The problem with this thinking is that it’s worldly logic. If you’ve bought into this argument, think about the contrast, tax break vs. treasure in heaven. Besides, if you’re getting a tax break through the church, it means someone is keeping track (How else do we get the end of the year statement?). If someone’s keeping track, it means there’s a list of who gives and how much? Here’s the creepy question, who’s seen this list and how has it affected how you and others are treated? And what’s the benefit again, a tax break? Well rest assured, if you’re really into this tax deduction, you’re allowed up to $5000 in donations without receipts every year on your taxes, then only the IRS will know what you give and they don’t care anyway.
So, my point is, give cash as opposed to writing checks. This way only your Father will see and your reward will be great.
(New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995. The Lockman Foundation: LaHabra, CA)
Monday, June 26, 2006
Sunday, June 18, 2006
The Word
We’ve been reading through Luke at night with Nate. I think Luke is probably my favorite of the Gospels. Anyway, I read these verses last night, and though they are familiar to me, I saw a detail I’ve never noticed before. I’ve been thinking about it ever since.
Here are the verses;
"Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”" (Luke 6:47-49, ESV)
These verses caused me to realize one fact and ask two questions.
Fact:
Hearing the word, reading the word, and even knowing the word does absolutely nothing for you. Doing the word is the only thing that counts, it’s foundational. I feel like all the emphasis in the world is placed on “getting into the word”, but not much on doing the word. I’ve been taught how much the word will “bless” me, but I feel a little short-changed because the application part of the word is what blesses. We can memorize a hundred verses, but they are powerless if we don’t act on them. To borrow from the idea that Jesus is conveying here, the word is basically just the blueprint, it’s not the product. If a builder has blueprints in his filing cabinet, they have potential, but they are currently only paper. Even if the builder looks at them all the time and gets together with other builders and talks about them, they are still virtually worthless, still just paper. The word is the same, it’s not magical, just because I read it, understand it, and even talk about it and say I believe it, it does nothing for me. It is only the act of applying it that has any true value. I know a lot about the word, but I apply little. It would be much better for me to know a little, but apply all that I know.
Question #1
If you know me, you know I’m analytical. I love words and meanings and dissecting them and discerning the real meaning. These verses were no exception. What struck me here was the realization that Jesus is saying that applying the word is the foundation. Sounds simple right, but my question is, if acting on the word is the foundation, then what is the rest of the structure look like? Because I’ve always thought the word was the foundation and acting on it was the building, I’ve never thought about this. But, what if there’s more? I guess for the past 10 years, I’ve always thought about Christianity as one big Bible study; just keep learning the Bible so I can look good. God knows I haven’t applied most of it. Because of this, maybe I’m not ready for the building, maybe I’m still working on the foundation, I’d be a lousy contractor. But, I can’t help but feel a little misled. All this time I thought the building was in progress and it looked pretty good, but I haven’t even started it. It’s like the story, “The Emperors New Clothes” (If you’ve never read it, do so, it’s short and probably online).
Anyway, I can’t help, but wonder what the building will be like once the foundation is laid. My conclusion is that we won’t see this building here, everything we do here is “foundation”. We’ll see the building or lack of building when we leave here.
Question #2
What is the real extent of the word? Let me explain this question a little. In John 1, we’re taught that Jesus is the Word. We’re also taught that He lives inside us when we accept Him? Yet, everything I’ve learned is based solely on the written word and not so much on the Living Word. I know Hebrews says “…the word is living and active…”, but I feel like there is more, I feel like the word says there is more. If Jesus lives in me, I want to hear from Him more. I don’t want to default to the written word all the time. I know that sounds extreme and perhaps it is, but I am not taking away the value of the word or its usefulness or its truthfulness or anything else, I just think that maybe there is more to Jesus (I know, I’m really exposing myself here, read my last post).
Consider the early church, they didn’t have Bibles, the New Testament, which is the basis of our faith, didn’t even exist. The printing press wouldn’t be invented until the 1400’s, so no one had Bibles at the house, Old or New Testament. What did those believers do? They were believers right? Of course, yet they didn’t have the written word to the degree that we have it. And I know that what we have is a privilege that comes with a great responsibility. But, those early Christians walked with God, more passionately than I, without the word. This makes me feel like I’m missing something even though I have the word. That’s why I again ask the question, what is the real extent of the word? Does it go beyond what is written (Obviously not contradicting what’s written)? Am I quenching the Spirit in my life?
Well, tell me what you think.
The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Standard Bible Society: Wheaton
Here are the verses;
"Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”" (Luke 6:47-49, ESV)
These verses caused me to realize one fact and ask two questions.
Fact:
Hearing the word, reading the word, and even knowing the word does absolutely nothing for you. Doing the word is the only thing that counts, it’s foundational. I feel like all the emphasis in the world is placed on “getting into the word”, but not much on doing the word. I’ve been taught how much the word will “bless” me, but I feel a little short-changed because the application part of the word is what blesses. We can memorize a hundred verses, but they are powerless if we don’t act on them. To borrow from the idea that Jesus is conveying here, the word is basically just the blueprint, it’s not the product. If a builder has blueprints in his filing cabinet, they have potential, but they are currently only paper. Even if the builder looks at them all the time and gets together with other builders and talks about them, they are still virtually worthless, still just paper. The word is the same, it’s not magical, just because I read it, understand it, and even talk about it and say I believe it, it does nothing for me. It is only the act of applying it that has any true value. I know a lot about the word, but I apply little. It would be much better for me to know a little, but apply all that I know.
Question #1
If you know me, you know I’m analytical. I love words and meanings and dissecting them and discerning the real meaning. These verses were no exception. What struck me here was the realization that Jesus is saying that applying the word is the foundation. Sounds simple right, but my question is, if acting on the word is the foundation, then what is the rest of the structure look like? Because I’ve always thought the word was the foundation and acting on it was the building, I’ve never thought about this. But, what if there’s more? I guess for the past 10 years, I’ve always thought about Christianity as one big Bible study; just keep learning the Bible so I can look good. God knows I haven’t applied most of it. Because of this, maybe I’m not ready for the building, maybe I’m still working on the foundation, I’d be a lousy contractor. But, I can’t help but feel a little misled. All this time I thought the building was in progress and it looked pretty good, but I haven’t even started it. It’s like the story, “The Emperors New Clothes” (If you’ve never read it, do so, it’s short and probably online).
Anyway, I can’t help, but wonder what the building will be like once the foundation is laid. My conclusion is that we won’t see this building here, everything we do here is “foundation”. We’ll see the building or lack of building when we leave here.
Question #2
What is the real extent of the word? Let me explain this question a little. In John 1, we’re taught that Jesus is the Word. We’re also taught that He lives inside us when we accept Him? Yet, everything I’ve learned is based solely on the written word and not so much on the Living Word. I know Hebrews says “…the word is living and active…”, but I feel like there is more, I feel like the word says there is more. If Jesus lives in me, I want to hear from Him more. I don’t want to default to the written word all the time. I know that sounds extreme and perhaps it is, but I am not taking away the value of the word or its usefulness or its truthfulness or anything else, I just think that maybe there is more to Jesus (I know, I’m really exposing myself here, read my last post).
Consider the early church, they didn’t have Bibles, the New Testament, which is the basis of our faith, didn’t even exist. The printing press wouldn’t be invented until the 1400’s, so no one had Bibles at the house, Old or New Testament. What did those believers do? They were believers right? Of course, yet they didn’t have the written word to the degree that we have it. And I know that what we have is a privilege that comes with a great responsibility. But, those early Christians walked with God, more passionately than I, without the word. This makes me feel like I’m missing something even though I have the word. That’s why I again ask the question, what is the real extent of the word? Does it go beyond what is written (Obviously not contradicting what’s written)? Am I quenching the Spirit in my life?
Well, tell me what you think.
The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Standard Bible Society: Wheaton
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Legalism?
Over the past several months, I’ve engaged in the same conversation with several people. The conversation has pertained to community within the church. Every person I have talked with has reverberated the same response, it is lacking. The common sentiment is that there is no community outside Sunday morning and even then, not much.
Let me elaborate;
We go to church; we hear a Bible study, sing some songs, shake some hands and go home. There is rarely depth in our conversations on Sunday’s and usually less throughout the week. My point is, we are all fallen, which means we are all struggling to walk this thing called the “Christian walk”. We are all totally messed up and we are most likely all lagging behind the pace Jesus wants us to run. The thing is this isn’t even the problem. The problem is we don’t talk about it. Why not? Isn’t it the greatest feeling when you make a friend whom you immediately feel open with, someone whom you can be totally honest with? I love friends like that! These friends can ask you how you’re doing and you can say without fear of reprisal or pseudo exhortation or rebuke, “I’m blowing it”. Isn’t that type of friendship where it’s at? I’ll assume you said yes, so answer this question; why do I only have 2 friends like this (and that may be more than you have)? Doesn’t that seem like a problem considering we’re all Christians, part of “the body”? Why is it like this?
Here’s what I think;
Somewhere along the line we’ve been convinced that if you’ve been a Christian for over two years, you should have it all pretty much together, especially if you “serve” in any sort of way. It’s like a chain reaction. We all shake hands on Sunday, each hurting inside yet smiling like we’ve got it all together. So, we each think the other person has it all together, that everyone else has it all together except for us. And because we don’t want to be the only one with “issues”, we pretend we don’t have any. So, this leads to isolation which is the opposite of fellowship, which is what church is suppose to be about.
Suggested solution:
Be real. What I mean by this is don’t wait for everyone else to open up first, they probably won’t. Just let everyone know you’re a basket case from the get go. I know this will isolate us from some, but who cares, we’re already isolated. This will in effect weed out the non-Christians or at least the immature ones. Didn’t Jesus say it was the sick that needed a physician not the well? Let everyone pretend like they’re well if they want to, the Pharisee’s pretended like they were well and I think Jesus had a couple of choice words for them. I don’t want to be on the receiving end of the same type of rebuke the Pharisee’s received, “Whitewashed tombs”. So, by just being real, it will provide real fellowship, which is what the real church is all about.
Disclaimer: If you think this is absurd, please read my first post.
Let me elaborate;
We go to church; we hear a Bible study, sing some songs, shake some hands and go home. There is rarely depth in our conversations on Sunday’s and usually less throughout the week. My point is, we are all fallen, which means we are all struggling to walk this thing called the “Christian walk”. We are all totally messed up and we are most likely all lagging behind the pace Jesus wants us to run. The thing is this isn’t even the problem. The problem is we don’t talk about it. Why not? Isn’t it the greatest feeling when you make a friend whom you immediately feel open with, someone whom you can be totally honest with? I love friends like that! These friends can ask you how you’re doing and you can say without fear of reprisal or pseudo exhortation or rebuke, “I’m blowing it”. Isn’t that type of friendship where it’s at? I’ll assume you said yes, so answer this question; why do I only have 2 friends like this (and that may be more than you have)? Doesn’t that seem like a problem considering we’re all Christians, part of “the body”? Why is it like this?
Here’s what I think;
Somewhere along the line we’ve been convinced that if you’ve been a Christian for over two years, you should have it all pretty much together, especially if you “serve” in any sort of way. It’s like a chain reaction. We all shake hands on Sunday, each hurting inside yet smiling like we’ve got it all together. So, we each think the other person has it all together, that everyone else has it all together except for us. And because we don’t want to be the only one with “issues”, we pretend we don’t have any. So, this leads to isolation which is the opposite of fellowship, which is what church is suppose to be about.
Suggested solution:
Be real. What I mean by this is don’t wait for everyone else to open up first, they probably won’t. Just let everyone know you’re a basket case from the get go. I know this will isolate us from some, but who cares, we’re already isolated. This will in effect weed out the non-Christians or at least the immature ones. Didn’t Jesus say it was the sick that needed a physician not the well? Let everyone pretend like they’re well if they want to, the Pharisee’s pretended like they were well and I think Jesus had a couple of choice words for them. I don’t want to be on the receiving end of the same type of rebuke the Pharisee’s received, “Whitewashed tombs”. So, by just being real, it will provide real fellowship, which is what the real church is all about.
Disclaimer: If you think this is absurd, please read my first post.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Welcome
The purpose of this is to give you a glimpse into my thoughts. Quite often, my thoughts are random, abstract, inconclusive, and nonsensical. Every once in awhile I make sense. Over the past year or so, I've been on a sort of a radical spiritual journey. I've began questioning the way I and or we go about being Christians. I don't question the Bible or its absolute authority, but I do question tradition and man's input on the whole thing. So, basically, I question religion. Jesus seemed to be pretty down on religion Himself. He said in regard to the religion of the Pharisee's, "...you can't put new wine into old wineskins." The new wine will make the old skins burst, they can't contain the new.
My thoughts are that I have been trying to mix Jesus with religion, not a good mix I've determined. So, in this blog, I hope to finally put in writing what I've been thinking, little by little. If things don't make sense or seem wrong to you, they might be. This is not my statement of faith or anything else, just thoughts. I'd appreciate any and all dialogue on the subjects I address. Thanks for reading and thanks for praying.
Harold
My thoughts are that I have been trying to mix Jesus with religion, not a good mix I've determined. So, in this blog, I hope to finally put in writing what I've been thinking, little by little. If things don't make sense or seem wrong to you, they might be. This is not my statement of faith or anything else, just thoughts. I'd appreciate any and all dialogue on the subjects I address. Thanks for reading and thanks for praying.
Harold
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