Gang Member or Church Member

In Forgotten God, Francis Chan talks about a former gang member who was coming to his church. He had a relationship with Jesus but had stopped attending services. When asked why, here was his response….

“When I joined the church, I thought it was going to be like joining a gang. You see, in the gangs we weren’t just nice to each other once a week—we were family.”

Ouch.

This made me think of the current state of the American church and really, this mans comments are correct.

How is it that someone can go through cancer, a miscarriage, a divorce and not feel supported by their church family?

How is it that a family has no food in their cupboard and they feel ashamed to ask for help from their church family?

Why are we not rejoicing together, suffering together, grieving together?

After reading this section of Forgotten God, hearing recent stories from friends, and having felt alienated from the church myself, my eyes are opened to what my role as a “family” member is. To love one another deeply, to carry each others burdens, to be willing to get involved in messy situations, to step out of my comfort zone and into His.

Lord, Give me eyes to see the needs of those around me. Show me the steps I need to take to me your hands and feet to them. Help me reflect you into the lives of those around me.

A little Jesus…

Out of Forgotten God…

Our churches are filled with “people who have added Jesus to their lives. People who have ask Him to join them on their journey, to follow them wherever they feel they should go, rather than following Him as we are commanded. Jesus did not die in order to follow us. He died and rose again so that we could forget everything else and follow Him. If all you want is a little Jesus to spiritualize your life, a little extra God to keep you out of hell, you are missing out on the fullness of life you were created for.”

Amen Francis! So many of us walk around dragging “a little Jesus” around life with us. I’m preaching to myself here too. I live for Jesus and do as He leads me yet some days I don’t make time for Him and clearly tell Him He does not have the number one place in my life. Which makes me wonder how often I am missing hearing His voice and direction.

“When Jesus calls us to take up our cross, He is doing much more than calling us to endure the daily, circumstantial troubles of life. It’s a call to radical faith. Jesus is calling us to be willing to suffer anything and forsake everything for the sake of the gospel.”

At the risk of repeating myself, I so want this radical faith kinda life. I want my back turned to the desires of this world where my eyes are only focused on Jesus and the gospel. My life as a mom in this season is so about the daily grind and to some extent that is ok. My daily grind is teaching the gospel to my children but so often it really is about dishes, laundry, and the next meal on the table.

Lord Jesus, you love me so much that you endured the cross. You know my Martha nature, fix my eyes upon you so that the things of this world will grow dim and my focus is on you and your people.

The Spirit of God

Fracis Chan has some seriously good stuff to say. After reading Crazy Love and agreeing with much of what he had to say, I tackled Forgotten God. I haven't read two books back to back so fast in a long time!

Forgotten God talks about how we have ignored the Holy Spirit. I don't think many believers would argue belief in the Spirit or the fact that as believers we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Yet, do we really walk around as though the Spirt of the living God is literally living inside of us? Francis says, "imagine what it would be like to have Christ standing beside you in the flesh, functioning as your personal Counselor. Imagine the peace that would come from knowing you would always receive perfect truth and flawless direction from Him. Why do we assume that this would be any better than the literal presence of the Holy Spirit?" Now there is food for thought. Though I know I believe in the Spirits dwelling in me and have evidenced the Spirit at work in my life, I have not internalized the idea that Christ is literally in me.

From there Francis talked about quenching the Spirit; a topic I have discussed before with many people. Seeing I have issues with what other people think about me, Francis put it into perspective for me..."We think about making our friends mad or not being accepted or being thought of as different or strange. But rarely do we consider whether our actions or lifestyle are grievous to the Spirit of the living God." I had never seen my care for others opinions as trumping my care of God's opinion but in this text, I see how off base I am in my ways.

So, though I never would have considered myself a Spirit quencher, I am. Are you?

Spirit of the living God, I long to live a life that is fully yours. Do your work in me so that I may be a temple of your Spirit that brings you glory and honor. Empty me of all of me so that I can be filled with you.

Crazy Love & the church

I just finished reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. My church gave out copies for everyone to read...of course I had bought a copy a few weeks before the great give away but that is how it goes.

Different parts of this book struck a cord with me. I've posted before about conformity and my issues with looking like the world. When I read this from Francis, I was saddened.... "...the American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity. The goals of American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don't swear, and good church attendance. Taking the words of Christ literally and seriously are rarely considered." I was saddened because I couldn't have agreed more. The one group of people who should strive for the best often settle for much less. I think we as believers are going to be suprised with how far off the mark we are living. I long to hear the words, "well done my good and faithful servant" but I'm not sure that by the way I live now, I will hear that. I live a morally upright life compared to many but God is not comparing our lives to one anothers....He is judging if we lived as He has called us to live.

The Church

So many people turn to the church to "learn" how to be a Chrisitian...I'm not saying that is how it should be but I believe that it is a reality. The church at large is not equipping people to be sold out followers of Christ. From my perspective, the church is teaching people to be lukewarm. The model of accept Christ, come to church on Sunday, worship with half of your heart, put on your Sunday happy face and act like you have it all together because Christians have a great life with Jesus model is not only not working but a disgrace to God.

God wants all of us. Every part. He wants us to worship Him with all that we have and are. He wants us to give joyfully. Love sacrificially. Put others before ourselves.

In the book, Francis talks about what people who are obsessed with Jesus look like. I'm dying to see this lived out before me! I want to be that person who can live a totally obsessed for Jesus sold out life and not care what friends and family think. I'm working on not caring but it goes against my humanity...but that's the point right?

So, today I choose to live a sold out life. Striving to press on without caring what everyone around me thinks. Without having to justify myself and my actions.

Where are you at? Are you sold out? Do you look like a follower of Jesus or do you look like the world? What is one area of your life that the Lord is asking you to surrender so that He can make it pure? Let it go....He knows what is best for you.

Parental Rights Issue

I get emails from our homeschool legal defense association that effect homeschooling and other parental issues. Here is a snippet from an email....

S4779, a bill going before a committee of the New York Senate on Tuesday, threatens your parental rights. The bill, "[a]n act ... providing medical care to minors for sexually transmitted diseases without a parent's or guardian's consent," would allow any health care practitioner to administer an STD vaccine to your child "without the consent or knowledge of his or her parents or guardians, provided such person [your child] ... consents."

HSLDA believes that minors are best protected from unwanted consequences of any medical decision if they can have the benefit of their parents' counsel. We oppose this legislation because it removes parents from involvement in a minor child's medical care. This bill will apply to your children whether you home school them or send them to public or private school.

ACTION NEEDED:

Please call your state senator and ask him or her to oppose this bill. To obtain your New York senator's Albany office phone number, visit www.nysenate.gov/senators Tell them you believe children have a right to the counsel and support of their parents when faced with medical decisions like vaccinations.

While you are at it, consider contacting your U.S. Congressman's office and urging your Representative to cosponsor H.J. Res. 42 proposing a Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Tell them you are aware of bills like New York's S4779 that crop up each year to erode parental rights, and that you want to see your rights protected permanently. To find the contact information for your U.S. Congressman, visit http://capwiz.com

I encourage you to take action. You can also email your Senator through the link provided above. I did it, will you?