Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
I recently had a classmate write "How much more motivation does anyone need?" in reference to the verse above. Unfortunately there are many times I need more motivation than heavenly rewards and the pure pleasure of doing good things. Can we be honest for a moment? Sometimes life sucks, and I don't want to do anything good for anyone but myself. Let's stay away from Sunday School answers and get real for a second. Do we really do good deeds in life because we want a jewel in a crown that we can't even accurately conceptualize? My guess is the average Christian uses this form of motivation once, maybe twice in a lifetime on earth.
I am really not trying to argue, but to cause us to get a little more real and honest. Lets remove our masks and discuss what are real motives usually are when we perform a task in the church, in our job, or in our efforts to evangelize.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
The Heart
Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Does this verse mean I am to suck it up and do any job or task with all my heart regardless of whether or not I really want to be doing it? I would hate to speculate the amount of times in my life that I have worked out of obligation and not out of my heart.
I would like to take a different angle with this verse. Lets imagine for a moment that God wants us to live from the heart (those of you who are John Eldredge fans know what I'm talking about). If we are to live from the heart, why do we bother with jobs and tasks that essentially prostitute our heart? In other words, why do we do things just to do them? Shouldn't we be selective in where we work and what job we perform? Should it not be a job or task that makes our heart come alive? Lets take it deeper. Should we volunteer for a role at church out of obligation or a sense of duty? Isn't that still prostituting our heart or do we get some kind of special star on our crown because we volunteered to help out on the finance committee? I know I have used strong language, but I would like to see some discussion on this matter.
Does this verse mean I am to suck it up and do any job or task with all my heart regardless of whether or not I really want to be doing it? I would hate to speculate the amount of times in my life that I have worked out of obligation and not out of my heart.
I would like to take a different angle with this verse. Lets imagine for a moment that God wants us to live from the heart (those of you who are John Eldredge fans know what I'm talking about). If we are to live from the heart, why do we bother with jobs and tasks that essentially prostitute our heart? In other words, why do we do things just to do them? Shouldn't we be selective in where we work and what job we perform? Should it not be a job or task that makes our heart come alive? Lets take it deeper. Should we volunteer for a role at church out of obligation or a sense of duty? Isn't that still prostituting our heart or do we get some kind of special star on our crown because we volunteered to help out on the finance committee? I know I have used strong language, but I would like to see some discussion on this matter.
Monday, August 28, 2006
The Least
Matthew 20:25-28
But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."
I have to become a servant? Okay, I will for you Jesus, but not for that guy over there with the long hair who smells like crap. I have to become a slave? Okay, I will for you Jesus, but not for my wife when she needs me to wash the dishes. I have to love who? Okay, I'll love you Jesus, but not that co-worker who just got MY promotion.
Jesus...help me to obey.
But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."
I have to become a servant? Okay, I will for you Jesus, but not for that guy over there with the long hair who smells like crap. I have to become a slave? Okay, I will for you Jesus, but not for my wife when she needs me to wash the dishes. I have to love who? Okay, I'll love you Jesus, but not that co-worker who just got MY promotion.
Jesus...help me to obey.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Drunk Armadillos and Wheelies
Today on the side of the road I saw an Armadillo on its back with a beer bottle between its paws. No, I am NOT making this up. Someone walking along the rode must have seen the dead animal and placed a beer bottle on it...sick freak. I only wish I had my camera so it could be my new desktop image.
I did a wheelie on my riding lawn mower today...and then it died.
It has been an exciting day.
I did a wheelie on my riding lawn mower today...and then it died.
It has been an exciting day.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Laziness -> Cowards -> Murder
Proverbs 22:13 - The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!" or, "I will be murdered in the streets!"
Laziness often leads to being a coward. It is a lack of passion to get up and fight the battles that are in front of us. Laziness is why 1 in 4 teens have done drugs, why 90% of kids between 11 and 16 have looked at pornography, why only 4% of this generation believes in the inerrancy of Scripture, and why the church in America has been silent to long. Sluggards are the millions of "Christian" parents who refuse to develop a relationship with their children and teach them right from wrong, how the Word of God applies to daily life, and the importance of loving oneself and serving others. It is time for a battle cry. It is time to fight the lions and demons outside our doors...to shake the gates of Hell in the name of Jesus. The longer we pretend we are okay, the more likely getting murdered in the streets will become a reality.
Nehemiah 4:14 - “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
Laziness often leads to being a coward. It is a lack of passion to get up and fight the battles that are in front of us. Laziness is why 1 in 4 teens have done drugs, why 90% of kids between 11 and 16 have looked at pornography, why only 4% of this generation believes in the inerrancy of Scripture, and why the church in America has been silent to long. Sluggards are the millions of "Christian" parents who refuse to develop a relationship with their children and teach them right from wrong, how the Word of God applies to daily life, and the importance of loving oneself and serving others. It is time for a battle cry. It is time to fight the lions and demons outside our doors...to shake the gates of Hell in the name of Jesus. The longer we pretend we are okay, the more likely getting murdered in the streets will become a reality.
Nehemiah 4:14 - “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
Thursday, August 10, 2006
PostSecrets
I mentioned before about PostSecrets (www.postsecrets.com). It really fascinates me that so many people have written Frank to share their victories, defeats, obsessions, fears, and oddities. I saw the following on his website and thought is was insightful:
Today I went to Barnes and Noble to purchase your PostSecret book. I had sent in secrets that had never appeared on the website, and now felt that looking at or buying the book was a secret in itself. I was having difficulty finding it, and was reluctant to ask for help. After about 20 minutes of searching, I finally caved and asked an associate to help me find it. The woman led me right to it - in the Biography section.
I was shocked.
How can this be considered a biography? A biography of who? It was written by hundreds of strangers - how is this biographical? I sat down with the book, and began to read. I slowly realized the answer to my question. I was reading a biography of myself. Of myself and everyone else I know, or have known. None of the secrets I sent in were published, but the secrets I was reading were mine nonetheless. I felt them, I felt their reality, I knew their depth and their strength. These secrets belong to everyone. This book is a biography of the human spirit, of human nature. It is the deepest, most true biography I have in fact ever read. Most biographies leave out the secrets, those small nuggets of stark reality that people keep inside themselves. This biography is nothing but that - and for that it is invaluable.
-Georgia
Today I went to Barnes and Noble to purchase your PostSecret book. I had sent in secrets that had never appeared on the website, and now felt that looking at or buying the book was a secret in itself. I was having difficulty finding it, and was reluctant to ask for help. After about 20 minutes of searching, I finally caved and asked an associate to help me find it. The woman led me right to it - in the Biography section.
I was shocked.
How can this be considered a biography? A biography of who? It was written by hundreds of strangers - how is this biographical? I sat down with the book, and began to read. I slowly realized the answer to my question. I was reading a biography of myself. Of myself and everyone else I know, or have known. None of the secrets I sent in were published, but the secrets I was reading were mine nonetheless. I felt them, I felt their reality, I knew their depth and their strength. These secrets belong to everyone. This book is a biography of the human spirit, of human nature. It is the deepest, most true biography I have in fact ever read. Most biographies leave out the secrets, those small nuggets of stark reality that people keep inside themselves. This biography is nothing but that - and for that it is invaluable.
-Georgia
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Our July
Our new patio furniture...the umbrella even has lights!
Karen at "Thunder on the Mountain" in downtown B'ham.
Our wives decided to hold the first annual "Husbands Day!" We got to go camping and then came back to an incredible breakfast.
Karen and I went to North Carolina with a lot of our family for my cousin Maclaren's wedding.
We had a much needed vacation in D.C. and PA. We spent four days in D.C. visiting museums, monuments, restaurants, and playing frisby with W on the front lawn. Every American should make a pilgrimage to Washington.
It was great spending a few days in PA with my brother, Jenny, and SiSi. We even made a special trip to the Jigger Shop...some incredible ice-cream.
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