"In the Name of (Fill in the Blank)"

It's amazing what people will do in the name of love. 

For clarity, amazing is defined as "causing great surprise" by dictionary.com. So it is to say, I am surprised by people's actions when their reasoning is based on what they call love. Love. Are you kidding me? You don't know what Love is. 

It is of the utmost impossibility to have a pure relationship with someone who has no relationship with Love. For how does one love the absence of Love? In answer I would have to imagine that one, in such circumstances, is not loving Love, but loving Desire, is loving "World", is loving "humanism." Love never called you to become sucked into the world that can not and will not love in return. Love called you to compassion, love called you to care, love called you to Love in the true sense of the word, but Love did not call you to infatuate. 

My friend, how do you expect something to be removed when you have glued it to your hand? 

I do not understand why we put ourselves into situations we can't handle. I do it to myself all the time. It's amazing how we can dig ourselves into trenches  and then look to the sky, shrug, and say "well, God, this must be where you want me or I wouldn't be here!" No, no, no. We can never blame God for where our foolishness has taken us, whether it is a physical, relational, or spiritual place. Of course, that is not to say that God does not work all things for His own good purpose (Romans 8:28, Philippians 2:13); yet God never leads us intentionally where He knows we won't be able to resist temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). 

Once we are made new in Christ, it is our duty to live a holy life as Christ. One of the hardest things is going to school knowing that you're different. Not to be spiritually egoistical, but those in Christ are held to a higher standard- when you begin at the top, everyone is watching for you to make that long fall to the bottom where they're all sitting. Temptation is constant. 

But oh, the hardest thing: to be different to your Christian friends. Because you're all in Christ, aren't you? Surely you're all on the same spiritual page; you read the same book, you go to church, you make sure you don't curse and you try not to gossip, because isn't that what links you? Isn't it your Christ-like lifestyle that connects you? Uh, no. Anyone can stick their hand in the water, but it takes a true believer to fully submerge and forget what it's like to live off of oxygen. It's beyond frustrating how Christians tend to  take their fellow believers faith for granted. It's like once you're saved, no one ever needs to spiritually challenge you again, because hey, you've got the golden ticket, and you can forget about the ride because you know your destination. How foolish! And unfortunately, ultimately dissatisfying. 

I've been thinking about the story in the book of Acts where there is a demon-possessed man, and two disciples try to cast him out. They come into the man's house and say, "We cast you out in the name of Jesus!.... of whom Paul speaks (Acts 19:13)." I'm thinking, what the crap?! Why do you add "of whom Paul speaks"? You cannot, CANNOT live off of another persons relationship. The story goes on to say that the demon basically laughs in their face and says "Jesus I know, and Paul also, but who are you?" and beats them up and leaves them for dead. 

Take away your church life. Take away your Christian friends. Take away your t-shirts with Bible verses, your tithe habits, your acts of service, everything. Where are you with God? In what "name" do you act? In the name of "love"? Sympathy? Self-confidence or insecurity? Pride, fear, desire, emotion, humanism, hurt, ignorance? 

You can't know where you're going if you can't read the map.... but that's a whole other sermon for another night ;) 

Peace. 

What's Under Your Carpet?

Have you ever seen those shows where people remodel their homes or something, and when they pull up the old carpet there are like, McDonald's wrappers and crushed soda cans and stuff underneath? 

Next to my bed there is a lump in the floor. Whenever I walk over it, my mind always says "what is that", even though I've felt it under the carpet a million times. But tonight, oddly enough, it got me thinking. 

Imagine yourself as a house (1st Corinthians 6:19). God is the builder, and He has constructed all that you are, top to bottom, and He has furnished you with basics, internally, that you need to have a relationship with Him. Finally, He gives you the tools you need to continue building the relationship, the things outside of the bare essentials that make the relationship beautiful and stable and full. They are yours to assemble. 

Matthew 13:24-26

      Here is another story Jesus told: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew..." 

Unfortunately, you don't always take care to "lock yourself up" each night. You say "I know how to build this, it's mine! My house, I can do it!" Fool. So one night comes when your door is unlocked and a stranger walks in. He notices your carpet hasn't yet been laid, and as you sleep, he trashes the place. You wake up the next morning to find the place a mess, and frantically you realize that the Builder is coming to note your progress that very day. "If I can just lay down the carpet," you say, "It won't be so noticeable." Quickly you put the carpet into place and arrange the furniture accordingly. He rings your doorbell. 

"Hello! Come in!" you say nervously, as He walks into the foyer and looks around mildly. "You know, I was just getting everything ready as You came..." you hesitate as He steps into the living room. Was that the crunch of a soda can, or are you imagining it? You must be imagining it. At least, He didn't say anything. "I've also been doing some stuff outside, and I think it looks really nice. Would you like to see?" you ask. 

He shakes His head. "No thanks, I'm more interested on the inside. After all, this is where we're going to be meeting, not out on your front lawn." He smiles gently. You're starting to feel a little better; maybe He doesn't know about the carpet. He doesn't seem mad and He's not pressuring you about anything. You relax a little. 

"Alright," you say, "How about sitting down and talking?" You walk over to the couch, and as you move you step on something hard. You wince for a moment, and remind yourself to avoid that spot in the future, because it hurts. Actually, you tell yourself that you'll eventually rip up the carpet and clean everything, but for now you push it aside. "What would you like to talk about today?" you ask once you sit down. He is still standing. He looks at you. 

"How did the rest of your building go?" He asks you. You tell Him it went fine, just fine. You wait for Him to respond. He says, "Did you remember to lock up like I told you?" You stumble a little and say, "Well.... not exactly..... but everything turned out alright. The house is built, isn't that what counts?" He looks sort of sad and you feel guilty immediately, but are too embarrassed to admit what actually happened. You try to bring up a few more things, but the conversations seems more than a little awkward. "You know, I feel a little tired. I think I might lie down for a while," you say. He says ok, tells you He loves you, and leaves. You feel wretched, but not motivated enough to tear up your carpet just yet and do it all over. You're not even sure what's all under there; how long would it take to clean? You might need help, but then you would have to tell Him what really took place. Was it really worth redoing? It's not that bad, is it? But then again, what if whatever is under there starts to rot and stink? That would be hard not to notice.... 

Snow White and the Seven Deadly Sins

(Chorus)

Mirror, Mirror on the wall

Tell me who's the purest of us all?

Your reflection must

Be a deception

Cuz it shows me as the ultimate rejection.

(Verse 1)

Do you remember the story?

Snow White and her seven little friends—

Well let's fast-forward to today

And I'll make up some new odds and ends. 

She was a kid, trying to make it alone

She was abandoned and no place to call home

Let's say she's caught up

On the wrong side of town

Her precious beauty attracted a disgusting crowd

There was Sleezy and Boastful

And Dopey (or Drugged)

Glutton and Selfish,

Envious and Thug. 

(Chorus)

Would you crack under that pressure?

Crack like a mirror, side to side,

With the knowledge that in some tower

Was an evil Queen just waiting for you to die?

Then what about that last and ultimate temptation,

That Golden Apple is what'll feed your deep starvation

Right? At least you hope

That this will satisfy your soul

Instead it's throwing everything far out of your control. 

And now your broken, and fading,

Your purity is gone

Despairing and drowning

Nowhere to hold on

(Chorus)

And yet the Prince is coming

To kiss the deadness from your lips

He will wipe away transgression

And will catch you, lest you slip

He is robed in shining armor

With a noble steed and sword

He will rectify your purity

Snow White, He's your greatest reward.