Thursday, October 29, 2009
my responsibility as an artist
To understand my responsibility as an artist, I need to look no further than my own conscience. I believe the artist should first ask the question, who am I responsible for? The answer to that question, should then guide he or she in what they create. In my travels around the world, I have met skilled artist’s who’s only means to feed their family, is to paint or be creative in some other form. The question of what they should create is answered in their need, not the extension of a political agenda, or the whimsical pursuit of an ideal from a position of relative abundance. By asking, who am I responsible for? The artist can make a choice grounded in something more meaningful than a contemporary trend.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Your own "personal" truth?
Self determined moral relativism is not truth, it's an aggressively projected opinion about what makes one feel good at particular time. A feeling changes from one day to the next, a truth will not change. I have heard the argument that each person has his or her own truth. Because you want a particular viewpoint to be true, does not make it fact or reality. To create your own reality, (truth) would mean your ideals would have to be a conscious / unconscious process that is inherent in the thinking of others on a daily basis through our their lives.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Assumptions about what God won't do
This is a prime example of how God surprises us and how He breaks down our assumptions. Drawn in by a mob mentality, I too was skeptical before this living parable unfolded before my ears and heart. This moved me, it was God surprising us all!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Forgiveness 70 X 7
We make forgiveness complicated. I am, and have been guilty of this and when I embrace the simplicity of what it means to be forgiven I am always amazed by the reality of how far reaching it is in my life.
"God forgive me a sinner"
This simple statement, when spoken from the heart, rings so loud in eternity that if it were audible, the sound would deafen the world.
Forgiveness can be a process, it can take time to completely forgive someone for an offence. The key to getting free from carrying a grudge and reliving the events that have caused bitterness and stagnation in your faith walk is to continually allow God to work in this area of your life. It sounds simple because it is. Some people don't want to forgive. I have experienced this issue in my own life and in the middle of it God showed me that some times forgiveness happens in steps.
When issues like this come up in my daily thought life I give it to God (it doesn't have to feel all warm and fuzzy). And I keep doing so until that issue doesn't surface any more. When you do this your giving God access to your heart and the freedom to change your mind and free you up from oppressive garbage that may be dogging you in your waking hours. Un-forgiveness steals sleep and causes stress. It's distracting and destructive.
A pastor friend of mine counseled a woman who had been in and out of mental institutions for quite some time. She would shake uncontrollably and display emotional anguish that required heavy doses of medication to calm her down or enable her to sleep. They were about to commit this pour woman to a mental facility for permanent mental care. As my friend counseled her he realized she had been traumatized as a little girl. The long and short of it is she began forgiving the adults that had abused her. All the symptoms I mentioned above ceased. She was released a month later and never returned to the hospital.
See Mathew 18:22
"God forgive me a sinner"
This simple statement, when spoken from the heart, rings so loud in eternity that if it were audible, the sound would deafen the world.
Forgiveness can be a process, it can take time to completely forgive someone for an offence. The key to getting free from carrying a grudge and reliving the events that have caused bitterness and stagnation in your faith walk is to continually allow God to work in this area of your life. It sounds simple because it is. Some people don't want to forgive. I have experienced this issue in my own life and in the middle of it God showed me that some times forgiveness happens in steps.
When issues like this come up in my daily thought life I give it to God (it doesn't have to feel all warm and fuzzy). And I keep doing so until that issue doesn't surface any more. When you do this your giving God access to your heart and the freedom to change your mind and free you up from oppressive garbage that may be dogging you in your waking hours. Un-forgiveness steals sleep and causes stress. It's distracting and destructive.
A pastor friend of mine counseled a woman who had been in and out of mental institutions for quite some time. She would shake uncontrollably and display emotional anguish that required heavy doses of medication to calm her down or enable her to sleep. They were about to commit this pour woman to a mental facility for permanent mental care. As my friend counseled her he realized she had been traumatized as a little girl. The long and short of it is she began forgiving the adults that had abused her. All the symptoms I mentioned above ceased. She was released a month later and never returned to the hospital.
See Mathew 18:22
Monday, February 23, 2009
What do you look like?
Are you unkempt, so depressed that when you get dressed in the morning it’s all you can do to “put on your cleanest dirty shirt”?(that’s a Johnny Cash) line. I like Johnny Cash because he didn’t hide his struggles and God loved him that way. Something I have been thinking about lately is the bride of Christ. I realized that when I think about the Bride of Christ I used to think only about the “church”. But I think God gave me some insight about what His bride looks like.
It’s not just the pretty people that go to church and smile and say the right things. I tried to be a good looking Christian, it worked for a while but I couldn't’t keep from being who I really am. Who am I? Consider your own failings ALL OF THEM, in some ways I’m probably a lot like you. Some one else I think most of us resemble. That guy on the cross next to Jesus. About to die, guilty and with no way out. I hardly ever hear about this guy.
Lets call him Bill. Bill probably spent most of his life hearing the Jewish law feeling guilty because he couldn’t live up to all six hundred of them. I’m guessing Bill’s up bringing wasn’t very religious. Or lets say that Bill came from a good home but fell in love with a Samaritan girl, they got married by a soothe seer because non of the Rabbis would do the ceremony, be-cause, it was against Jewish law to mix with Samaritans. Sooo Bill and his Samaritan bride were shunt from Jewish society. Where do they go now?
They can’t go to Samaria; the Samaritans hate the Jews as much as the Jews hated the Samaritans! Bill and his Samaritan bride fell on hard times. So in order to get food to eat or something to sell to get money for food, Bill started stealing. This worked for a while but then Bill’s wife got pregnant. Now they needed extra care and money! So Bill became desperate and took bigger risk’s and became careless in his thievery and got caught. He tried to steal a horse, a capital crime punishable by death. As Bill’s helpless pregnant wife looked on he was tried and found guilty. Whipped and nailed to a cross. There were two other guys next to him. One who just kept running his mouth about his innocence. Bill knew him, they “worked” together a couple of times. The other guy didn’t say much. Bill’s head throbbed, his body was racked with pain, he was thirsty.
He thought of his guilt, the position he placed his innocent wife and their unborn child in. He thought about the guy next to him, he’d seen this guy around. Heard him teaching, saw him feed people. He knew his name, Jesus, he’d been tried and beaten Just before his own case came up. I can’t believe he’s still alive he thought to himself. How could anyone survive what this Jesus had just been through? As this thought meandered through Bill’s guilt ridden conscience the silence was broken.
Bill’s “friend” started insulting him (Jesus), "You are the Messiah, aren't you? Save yourself and us!" Bill had enough, gripped with the terror of facing his own death and remembering how his wife had begged him “to listen to the prophet” he spoke up.
Luke 23:40 NIV
“We have been condemned justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong”. Bill’s heart began to pound in his chest”. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!". Jesus raised his head and turned in Bill’s direction. Bill began sobbing uncontrollably. He realized who was about to speak to him. "I promise you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
How many “loser” druggies, pimps whores, God haters, murderers, just go down the list! Have in their dying moments through the mercy and grace of God realized what there destiny was and cried out in a desperate attempt for rescue “JESUS SAVE ME!”.
This is what His Bride looks like; those that never served Him a day in their life but were rescued moments before they left this life forever. They never got baptized, they never professed their faith publicly. They looked nothing like the Pharisaical (legalistic Christian) mindset or modern day Pharisee says they should look like. It also includes all the John and Jane Does that know Jesus but decided to impress men with “all they could do” for God. It includes those that were called and waited for God to reveal His direction. His Bride includes those that don't look like us, those we disagree with. Those that come from situations you and I wouldn't live in for any amount of money and probably wouldn't visit if we were asked to!
The LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:17
It’s not just the pretty people that go to church and smile and say the right things. I tried to be a good looking Christian, it worked for a while but I couldn't’t keep from being who I really am. Who am I? Consider your own failings ALL OF THEM, in some ways I’m probably a lot like you. Some one else I think most of us resemble. That guy on the cross next to Jesus. About to die, guilty and with no way out. I hardly ever hear about this guy.
Lets call him Bill. Bill probably spent most of his life hearing the Jewish law feeling guilty because he couldn’t live up to all six hundred of them. I’m guessing Bill’s up bringing wasn’t very religious. Or lets say that Bill came from a good home but fell in love with a Samaritan girl, they got married by a soothe seer because non of the Rabbis would do the ceremony, be-cause, it was against Jewish law to mix with Samaritans. Sooo Bill and his Samaritan bride were shunt from Jewish society. Where do they go now?
They can’t go to Samaria; the Samaritans hate the Jews as much as the Jews hated the Samaritans! Bill and his Samaritan bride fell on hard times. So in order to get food to eat or something to sell to get money for food, Bill started stealing. This worked for a while but then Bill’s wife got pregnant. Now they needed extra care and money! So Bill became desperate and took bigger risk’s and became careless in his thievery and got caught. He tried to steal a horse, a capital crime punishable by death. As Bill’s helpless pregnant wife looked on he was tried and found guilty. Whipped and nailed to a cross. There were two other guys next to him. One who just kept running his mouth about his innocence. Bill knew him, they “worked” together a couple of times. The other guy didn’t say much. Bill’s head throbbed, his body was racked with pain, he was thirsty.
He thought of his guilt, the position he placed his innocent wife and their unborn child in. He thought about the guy next to him, he’d seen this guy around. Heard him teaching, saw him feed people. He knew his name, Jesus, he’d been tried and beaten Just before his own case came up. I can’t believe he’s still alive he thought to himself. How could anyone survive what this Jesus had just been through? As this thought meandered through Bill’s guilt ridden conscience the silence was broken.
Bill’s “friend” started insulting him (Jesus), "You are the Messiah, aren't you? Save yourself and us!" Bill had enough, gripped with the terror of facing his own death and remembering how his wife had begged him “to listen to the prophet” he spoke up.
Luke 23:40 NIV
“We have been condemned justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong”. Bill’s heart began to pound in his chest”. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!". Jesus raised his head and turned in Bill’s direction. Bill began sobbing uncontrollably. He realized who was about to speak to him. "I promise you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
How many “loser” druggies, pimps whores, God haters, murderers, just go down the list! Have in their dying moments through the mercy and grace of God realized what there destiny was and cried out in a desperate attempt for rescue “JESUS SAVE ME!”.
This is what His Bride looks like; those that never served Him a day in their life but were rescued moments before they left this life forever. They never got baptized, they never professed their faith publicly. They looked nothing like the Pharisaical (legalistic Christian) mindset or modern day Pharisee says they should look like. It also includes all the John and Jane Does that know Jesus but decided to impress men with “all they could do” for God. It includes those that were called and waited for God to reveal His direction. His Bride includes those that don't look like us, those we disagree with. Those that come from situations you and I wouldn't live in for any amount of money and probably wouldn't visit if we were asked to!
The LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:17
Saturday, February 21, 2009
self righteousness
We all have a mask. Some of us pretend to be transparent only to grow bitter in the secret frustration of our self righteousness. What object or person will we clothe in scorn to justify our un-forgiveness.
Friday, January 23, 2009
When miracles happen
When miracles happen God does them in the most humble spirit. Displaying His power is not an exercise of ego or pride; it is not to muse over the wonder or terror that results from Him displaying his sovereignty. God does not cherish His power, He does not regard it as a possession; as a politician or world leader would. Instead He glories in His greatest expression of power which was His greatest expression of love. Jesus became subordinate to God.
Hebrews 1:5b: "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"
Jesus followed;
John 10:18
No one takes my life from me. I give my life of my own free will. I have the authority to give my life, and I have the authority to take my life back again. This is what my Father ordered me to do."
John 12:49
"For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak”
Jesus begged to be spared the brutality He knew He would have to endure. How many times have we asked God to do something a different way to make it easier or less terrifying?
Matthew 26:39
After walking a little farther, he quickly bowed with his face to the ground and prayed, "Father, if it's possible, let this cup [of suffering] be taken away from me. But let your will be done rather than mine."
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
These examples found in scripture do not reflect a God who savors power like a dictator would. Those that love power and position do not lay it aside so easily and they only sacrifice those suspected of trying to take it from them.
Hebrews 1:5b: "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"
Jesus followed;
John 10:18
No one takes my life from me. I give my life of my own free will. I have the authority to give my life, and I have the authority to take my life back again. This is what my Father ordered me to do."
John 12:49
"For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak”
Jesus begged to be spared the brutality He knew He would have to endure. How many times have we asked God to do something a different way to make it easier or less terrifying?
Matthew 26:39
After walking a little farther, he quickly bowed with his face to the ground and prayed, "Father, if it's possible, let this cup [of suffering] be taken away from me. But let your will be done rather than mine."
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
These examples found in scripture do not reflect a God who savors power like a dictator would. Those that love power and position do not lay it aside so easily and they only sacrifice those suspected of trying to take it from them.
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