Week 19/ Adventure 3 Ive been getting phone calls almost every day from a younger man. He calls to tell me whats going on in his life. He was at the store getting ice cream, his daddy ran over his bike, he wants to see his cousins, he drank his water........all the important things in a 2 yr.olds life that he wants to share with Grandma. I love these little conversations. I save all the voicemails from the grandkids telling me about losing their first tooth, what they made me for Christmas, getting mad because grandma isnt talking to them.....not understanding that they have gotten the answering machine. I keep them so I can hear their sweet little voices over and over again. Just some of the things I treasure. Mikes message this week centered on Thy Kingdom come. And as he said, this is probably not what you will be thinking this means. It is more than asking God to bring His kingdom to earth, it is about the kingdom of God within us. Something we strive for, but arent quite sure how to get. Most people think that the way the church is now is how it has always been. If you study church history you see a different picture. Lets just go back to 1907. At that time the church was divided between those that taught the social gospel and those who taught evangelism. Why is it that we have to take sides? The truth is that it is not an either/or theology, it is both & and. Mike was actually taught in seminary that the social gospel was wrong and that the only correct theology was about evangelism. In this line of teaching we are taught to do the right things: 1. encounter God 2. Accept Jesus 3. Find what your gift is and serve. Unfortunately this is where most churches stop. It leaves many people wondering, like I did...............is this all there is? I prayed the prayer, why am I not being transformed? The world looks at Christians and see no real transformation either and have lost interest in seeking God. The truth is, God has so much more. There is more than just going to church, reading your Bible, stopping some bad behaviors. It is total transformation.....changing something into something entirely different. It is learning to think like Jesus, speak like Jesus, act like Jesus. There is no program that can teach this, it is a life long process. But it involves an inward journey that is painful. Now before you assume I am talking about some New Age thinking, I assure you this is not. But you do have to do some hard thinking, asking yourself some hard questions: Why do I do what I do? Whats behind the way I think and act? Why do I keep falling into the same behaviors? When you discover these patterns you are in a position to let Jesus heal them. Then you also have to go on the outward journey: dying to yourself, wanting more for others than you want for yourself, Jesus must increase, you must decrease. And it is about the sacramental life: encountering more and more of God in every day life. If you cant remember the last time you encountered God you are relying on a memory, not a relationship. What kind of marriage would Mike and I have if I said, yes I remember marrying him 42 years ago, but we never talk or do anything together. It wouldnt be much of a relationship would it? God always wants to show us something more of Himself and ourselves, there is always more to learn, more to transform. Dont settle for Im saved, thats all that matters. There is so much more waiting for you right here, right now. Seek God above all things. Hes waiting.
Posted on: Mon, 19 May 2014 22:36:22 +0000
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