Some Thoughts On Hearing Brian McLaren Teach

I just yesterday, starting reading on the Emergent Church, and for the very first time, read and listened to Brian McLaren. I must say, I am impressed and praise God for men like him who are speaking out, in love and truth on a need to be less hardline when reaching out to other religions. I do disagree with the many within the movement, that want to put everyone and anyone, or any religion under the umbrella as having it right. The majority of the Christian Church still hasn't got it right, but thank God some are trying.
Brian McLaren is a leading voice of the Emerging or (Emergent) Church.
He makes a great statement (I am not quoting here but providing to you what I heard him say in a video, imperfectly I might add)
..... "Christianity is the message of reconciliation, Conservative Christians make the message about reconciliation to God, Liberal Christians make the message about reconciliation with others. For Christianity to be the message of reconciliation it must consist of both of these."

Absolutely true.
============================My comment
I love the concept of a Mission centric life in Christ in this age and this time.
We are in one of the great transitions of Society and the World.
The world is getting smaller, and to show a world Jesus Christ will take more than a few out of country missionaries, or church buildings, it will take the entire body of Christ to reach out and touch someone. I am not talking about the Social Gospel, by itself, and I am not talking about Fundalmentalism, but a Christ centered life, that is willing to die to self, even to go to the cross to love all men.
It will take the expressed life of Christ in each of us. Not doctrine, not the Four Spiritual Laws, but the living Christ in us, as us and living through us.
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Brian also provides an illustration for thought on a mission centric life.
Our personal Christian mission is like this, "think of it like a Bicycle, you have to get on the bike and start peddling, God will do the steering in the direction the Bicycle should go." (once again imperfect quoting, just how I heard it)
====Some Thoughts On Hearing Brian McLaren Teach ======================
This is not works based religion, if you know, that all you can do is peddle, it only becomes work based religion when we think we can do the steering as well.
Doesn’t this make sense, when we read, Proverbs, (paraphrased of course)
"Man makes plans, but it is God that gives direction."

We cannot be stagnant individualistic Christians any longer, we must think first of Christianity in reaching others in the terms of the world, then community.
Most of our focus has been on ourselves first and foremost, and that stems from us being raised in an individualistic society.

Yes, our relationship to God is important, but if it excludes others, where is the overall effect in salvation or obedience "to go ye into ALL THE WORLD."  However contrary to the idea of just coming along accepting any religion for that matter, we are to preach the Good News, and that Good News is Christ has restored us, and given us life, and we can now live in love, and in peace, joy and righteousness. Religion, all religion, even Christian religion, doesn't have that. Only a life centered in and fellowship with Christ alone has that.

Our Christian life becomes selfish, even narcissistic, and results in an imbalanced Christian, if we say we can only have community with those who “believe’ as we do.
It makes for a church, that is exclusive and judgmental, and powerless. We aren't to exclude the pagan, but we aren't to include them either. We must look at Paul, He first converted the Gentiles, before they could be considered part of the Ekklesia, but He didn't condemn them or win them with an exclusive attitude, He first found common ground with them, then he persuaded them through discussion to Christ as the Way, the Truth and Life. Our problem hasn't been the message and Christ alone, but our problem has been two things, one in it's presentation , and two the most important one, is the contrary lifestyles we live and love others, in direct contradiction to Jesus own teachings, and one of the most important, is non- violence. Conservative Christianity and it's love of Nationalism, Zionism, and it's Western Materialism, is as or even more become more violent then the Protestants can condemn the Catholics in being against, all that opposed them. We have bit off the most important teaching expressed in the life of Christ, and that is to take up your cross and follow me, and take no vengeance, but to love your enemy and do good to those who DESPITEFULLY use you.
I think that falls into the category of radical Muslims as well. Why it is we can love Zionist, who commit autrocities as well, against Palestinian Christians, but not all men, is simply a matter of false doctrines and teachings the traditional church has shoved down the throats of "LAZY" people in the church, mostly religious people, who have spread these like they were the Gospel. They are all lies. God is love. All encompassing love, that sent his Son to die for ALL MEN. Not just Jews, and the Christian Religion, but ALL MEN!

We must be open, to the Father at all times, to teach us, not only in our personal study, but in our encounter with others. Regardless of their present belief system.
We cannot win the world for Christ by saying "ha ha, I am better than you are."

So, I say yes, community is important, whether it be two or three, or more, there should be a reaching out, not in the sense to win someone over to my argument, my theology, my truths, but a living out the truth to others, that my life reflects the generosity, love, compassion, justice and mercy of who I am, Christ in me.... and in you, and in others. A revealing of the "Christ in you," which is " the hope of glory"

We cannot do this alone, we cannot hope to do it alone, thus Christ gave gifts unto all men, so community, the Ekklesia cannot be ignored, it is within the context of that, that true spiritual life can be reflected to the world about us, as each one, reaches out to another, and that one reaches out to another and we all reach out together but we don't lock it behind the closed doors of a building, we openly engage the world about us. This is how the early Christians turned the world upside down. They didn't have to invite someone to church, for they knew they were a candle, but then they could include others from the church, as candles as well to the outside world, knowing that they didn't have all the light to give. Paul and Timothy, are great examples. It wasn't that Paul had anything to teach Timothy, I think there was times, when surely Timothy taught Paul. Paul was always learning and engaging others who were outside of the realm of the church, He engaged the pagans but found common ground, through conversation then won them to truth, by example, a life lived out in the love of Christ within.
In reaching out, to others, we cannot think we hold the corner on truth, the truth be told, if we have Christ, we all have “The Truth.
So if we do not allow others, to speak, is to say we know more then them. This is pride, stubborn, and quite honestly evil in the final outcome.

It is in the context of shared community, that we find, the gifts of each of us, building the body into one, a wholesome union in Christ.
Let me illustrate....if you light one candle and put it in a dark room, only a portion of that room will be lit up, now add another candle, and another, and soon there is enough light to dispel the darkness.
This is why there must be a coming together in common unity under the banner of Christ, not to just sit or be bystanders or be entertained, coaxed, or be an audience, but to be actively engaged, in being one of the candles.

I believe, that we must be open, and forthright, and exercise the love of Christ to obtain that. We have to be open, to the reality, that Christ is in us, as well is he is anyone else in our Christian Community.

If we show any hint, of not listening, and only talking, we shut down, the gift another may have to give us. In the same aspect. We cannot be shut down, to do so, is the same as us, shutting someone else down, we allowed our candle to be snuffed out, and that one little area of the room remains dark and undiscovered to us and to others, either way we go.
The Father designed it that way.
This is why scripture tells us what our coming together is to be like,
“One to Another'”.

Modern church and Pre-Modern Church and going way back to Medieval Church, and back further than that, after the Apostles passed away, men, thought that they knew better and tossed Christ and the Apostolic tradition out the door, for their own traditions.
I blame Martin Luther for the fact that the one man leader idea didn’t get reformed in the Reformation, it just got modified, Pope/Priest to Pastor or Bishop.
I blame Martin Luther for the Sermon. Read up if you would like to know why.
Martin is the one, that said there must be a Sermon at every church meeting. Function is one thing, title and power is another.

Our discovery of walking and abiding in Christ, must be one in which all the candles are allowed to burn, it doesn’t matter the candles beauty, it’s shape, or even it ‘s color, what matters, is that without that one little candle, one area will always remain dark in the room. Thus there is great need, for the body of Christ, when coming together to always be, in Dialegomai-discussion, not argument, on who is right or who is wrong, for each candle has it’s worth, even if it isn’t the prettiest candle or the one we would have chosen to help light the room.

We must be constantly engaged in the "one to another.”

This is why I love the Quaker’s or the old "Orthopraxy" of the Ana Baptist, is the shared responsibility, and the shared importance of each member.

This is what Paul was saying all along, in the book of Corinthians.
How could we as the church so have missed it?
Why, because men, thought they could protect the sacred teachings, instead of the Holy Spirit doing the job, and they stepped in, and the Holy Spirit, was forced out the door. It never was about the written word, it's always been about the Living Word.
The Holy Spirit has been trying to step back in ever since, there as been over the centuries of church history (the main reason most churches don't teach it) one after another, who said, "Wait, I have something to say," and the hierarchy, said, "sit down, be quiet, and learn from me."
Those that refused, were always branded as "heretics," just like Jesus. "Where does this man, get His teaching, isn’t He the carpenter’s Son?"

This is what rattled the Pharisees, the most, is Jesus teaching attracted the crowds, out of love to hear more of what he had to say, and what they could learn, they hungered to learn more of the Father's love, they hungered to engage Jesus, but the Pharisees, had to use fear manipulation and religious power to keep the crowds attention.
They could excommunicate.. been there, I know that one from personal experience!

I think we missed it because of our carnality and being human and always either wanting someone to lead us, instead of being actively engaged, as it is easier, it is lazy, and more often or not it is out of fear. We often fear that others may discover "the real us."
Isn’t that what fellowship with one another is suppose to be all about, is that discovery, so that we can both encourage and rebuke, but in mercy, in compassion, in love. So that each one can grow up in the maturity and fullness of Christ.

It is in the mouth of TWO or more witnesses, that truth is to always be established, this is the lesson from our Father, that He expressed Himself through the Son, and now expresses Himself through each one of us by the Holy Spirit.
Yet there is that relationship with the two always.
Christ neither said or did anything without the Father, and neither should we without the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit is not limited to one man, or one woman.
He is working and speaking through all of us, that are His children now.
No one person has the corner on the Holy Spirit for it is impossible to put the Father in a single container, one man, one woman, and say, there He is.

Pastor worship is fatal to the body and fatal to the Pastor. I can promise you, more assemblies die because of this one thing, and more Pastors quit or are fired because of this one thing, then any other reason.

It all narrows down to who we worship, Christ the Head of the body, or just some foot or toe, of the body.. being a Pastor doesn't make you the head.
This is the grandest error of all. This is what destroys, Pastors, Evangelist, or anyone engaged in ministry, when we begin to think the adoration is deserved, and expected.

Church, as it is in most churches, is the opposite of community, except in the things that don’t matter, this is the grand error, of church hierarchy, and tradition. It's alright to share the babysitting, the Sunday School room, the meal, the cooking, the outward mission to get members, but don't you dare ask to share the teaching, preaching or the curriculum. This is why Sunday School lessons must be organized, or directed, or decided upon by "the leadership."
Any thing other is a threat to the Pastor and to the Hierarchy.

It is the antithesis of every thing, that is Christ like, or even Apostolic.
There will always be those that will want to lead, but what about the church giving this a try - "We have no leader but Jesus Christ," and we humble ourselves to admit, that we are but one candle, in a dark room, we don’t have all the answers and we sure don’t have all the light needed to light up the room. Bring on the candles! A single candle will burn out a lot quicker then several lit at intervals.

It is when as a Pastor, or leader, we step down, and humble ourselves, to accept not a role as leader, but as servant, and allow others to be the same, that the whole room will get light.
In other words the entire community of believers, and the world around them can be lit by the fire of God, and the Holy Spirit can do His grandest work.

So what am I saying here, I am saying what Paul, said. Who is Paul, Who is Apollos, - who is the Pastor?
We can say we depend on the Father to be what we must be to the congregation, but can we say, I will depend on the Father to be what the congregation is to be.

We don’t most often because we fear, we anguish and worst than that, sometimes we are too proud to relinquish our phylactery, or robes, and tassels, to step down, and say, "look, I don’t have anything more than you, I don’t have the corner on truth, we together are here in the presence of The Truth and as a whole, He is the truth, and we will rely on Him."

Let us no longer, shut the grand doors of the gate, of the communion of believers coming together in fellowship, and let us quit telling the Holy Spirit, He will have to wait outside, until the service is over, or He can come in, as long, as you follow my directions, my program, my doctrine, my creeds, my belief system, my, my, my.... the "my" is what is killing the body and the long run will kill you.

Can’t we see, how in doing this, we have now stood in the place of God, declaring ourselves to be God, when all along, He is sitting there in the congregation before you, and in you, waiting, waiting, for us as Pastors to sit down and shut up, and listen...
We might just light another candle in the darkroom and then a whole bunch of candles get lit on fire by a sharing of the flame of the work of the Holy Spirit in each persons life.
I say, yes there is a time for teaching, or preaching but it must be a group decision, once the candles know how to burn on their own, but this doesn’t mean all we do is talk , we teach in the same manner Jesus did.
Jesus gave a story, He then would ask questions, then he would engage in conversation, and seeds were planted. - Thanks Brian for that one.

How can a Pastor or anyone learn, if we don’t hear. If all we do, is listen to our own taped sermon, or our own voice, to see how grand we sound, or persuasive, we miss out, on what was received, from what we said.
We wonder, why when we have worked so hard to deliver a SERMON, that seems to us, should effect everyone and we believe that it expresses the heart of God, that the body, sits there half asleep, half engaged in what is said, and half listening.
Ask most people when they leave, what the sermon, was about, they will tell you, "I don't know, but it was good."

We would never sit still for a college class where question aren’t asked, and answers given, and there is an exchange between students in Professors, why do we think that the Father would design fellowship to be ‘sit there be quiet, don’t ask questions."

This is not the way Jesus engaged the world or His own disciples. He engaged them into conversation, thought, questions, and conversation.
Jesus would start with a story an illustration.
The best teachers are one’s that give an illustration- a story, then ask questions of the pupils, then allows for conversation, to allow the seeds of truth to sink in.

Revelational truth that only the Holy Spirit can provide each of us is what truly teaches us.
Authoritarian teaching, teaches nothing but authority, engaged conversation teaches love.

You would be amazed at how much, so many of the saints you thought less of, in the assembly, that perhaps had more insight, more spiritual awareness, more growth, even then yourself at times. I speak that from former house church and organic fellowship experience.

The call for the Post Modern church is this, for it’s leaders for once to be real servants, and learn to listen, to shut up when necessary, and open the doors to others to speak, to teach, to preach, to sing, whatever the Holy Spirit would desire to do, within the context of reason and order.
I don’t believe in a bunch of chaos, but when organic church is practiced, it rarely happens, this is where, anyone of a group of people, not just the Pastor, can put the brakes on if led by the Spirit of God to do so.

I think scripture makes it clear, that more than one can prophesy, I am not talking about what is defined as Charismatic prophesying, but what is defined by scripture, "The Spirit of Prophecy, IS THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST"....that’s why I love God’s Word, is that you will find order in it, that is clearly spelled out, if we will only look for God’s definitions in it, and not our own.

Let each one speak, the other sit down, and let the others judge. This is not a verbal bout, over whether it was right or wrong. It is the asking what was said encouraging, correcting, or teaching on our testimony of Jesus Christ, then it should be judged quietly by each heart, and then if someone has something to say, let them speak, let them engage on what was said, how it effected them.
Did it harm, then say so, did it encourage, then say so, did it correct us, then say so, did it give us a teaching, then say it and share it.
Was it in line with the Father of all Love and Creation. If the body has the Holy Spirit, and they are truly the body, there will be no bickering, no condemning, no putting down of others, but all will be done in love.
This is where the Holy Spirit will use someone I promise to speak out and say so, and it will be in union with what the Holy Spirit is saying in the others hearts as well. Do we trust Him?
Oh, what if I have a song to sing? Can I sing it, from my heart?

This is the big question for the Pastor and the Body to ask themselves,
Do we trust the Holy Spirit to be what Jesus said He would be, that He would guide us into all truth. He would speak of Jesus. Isn't that what we come together for, is to see the reality of a Resurrected Jesus, in each of us?

I can promise you, I have more than once tolerated sermons, and speakers, who were both off Scripture by a mile, and harmed more than they won over anyone with love.
Why? No one dared challenge, them, they are the “PASTOR”.
The man of God, the man with the Oracle of God.
Thinking like this is purely pagan in origin and is what creates the Jim Jones, and other false prophets, and teachers we here of today.

I pray, that this one thing, will be what the Post Modern Church will get, that they will finally catch onto, is the elimination of leaders and instead the making of servants and disciples, who are filled with Spirit,and the Wisdom of Christ.
I pray that Jesus Christ must be the central truth and means to salvation, and no not all religion, matter of fact, no religion, leads to God the Father, and that it's not a matter of being an organization that is willing to except anyone for anything they believe, but about being a person, that Christ lives through us, as us and in us, then He can do the soul winning, the drawing all men unto Himself, and we won't have to alienate others, but fact be known, there is no "church" - no ekklesia, without Christ as the central truth, Buddha, Confucious, none of those religions will make the "called out one's of God. They can be drawn in, loved in, and even taught in, but without love, what good is winning someone to a doctrine, rather than a person, and this absolute has to stand, to be called "Christian", Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

When God works, we rest, when we work, He can't and won't rest until we learn to allow Him to take the reigns of all of our life, individually and in community.

Let us in the coming days, not experiment, not create cell churches, not start groups, or even new movements, let us come together as the Early body of Christ did, in harmony, in love and in equality, open to allow the candles to be lit. I believe in my heart, that we could once again, turn the world upside down for Jesus!
Let's quit experimentation, let's abandon dead works, elitist leaders, love of money and power, and let's make Christ and His people- all equal, and love the foundation of all we think and do, and there won't be any need for a new movement, or the emergent church or the old church, there will be Christ! Standing out as a light to the world, and the salt of this earth that every religion can see, and they will be drawn to that light, and desire it above all things, as well.

Doctor J.

To Know The Lord Jesus Christ

I want to borrow from a Spurgeon Devotion to begin this article.

“The people that do know their God shall be strong.”
- Daniel 11:32

Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to “have an unction from the Holy One,” and it is the Spirit’s peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what he has done for us, and what he is doing now, we cannot love him much; but the more we know him, the more we shall love him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the telescope, but till we receive instruction, our ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we can see nothing whatever; knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the bright optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous confidence. Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the “knowledge” of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
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It is not enough for us to say I heard about Him in Church or Sunday School or through a friend or family member. It is not enough for us to just casually listen to sermons or teachings whether live, on tape, CD, television or our radios.
It is not enough to have a thousand scriptures memorized, ten thousand doctrines scrutinized, or a hundred million biblical education degrees. It is not enough.

Knowledge of the Lord comes by being in constant union with Him. It comes in having a relationship with Him and more than just once or twice a week as we go off to church or Sunday School.

Do you make the time to spend with Him everyday? Is He the center of your every thought on Him about Him. Probably not, neither is mine.

Yet, scripture admonishes to think on heavenly things.
Colossians Chapter Three advocates that our entire knowledge and life be centered in things that matter.

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ , who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."
How difficult this is for us, we are surrounded by every thing earthly. We move about and talk about everything earthly. Don't we realize what Jesus said to them then, John 3:12

12 If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven.

Don't we realize that there is only one that can bring us the knowledge we need for all that life is? There is only one that can tell us of heavenly things. Only one that has been there and is there. How can we trust other men so easily with trying to tell us about heavenly things, yet not trust Him who has been there and resides there - Jesus Christ our Lord.

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not to turn us into somekind of freak show, running about doing some kind of wild works of bringing lightening out of the sky, playing healer, super apostle or none of that.
He is called the Comforter, the Counselor, the guide into all truth. Jesus only holds the truth for us, yet we give Him very little of our time or true devotion. Oh, we will get dressed up, take an hour from our week and go off and get all emotional, and kneel and pray at church when the right things are said that might speak of our own predictament.
Do we realize that He yearns to be with His people in their heart of hearts everyday and in everyway.?
Jesus didn't come to just give us another religion, another way to work our selves into heaven. Jesus came to give us life, and that life is in Him and Him alone.
It is easy in a world that is so hurried to be sucessful at whatever you do.
Jesus didnt find success in the way of the world. He powered under instead of looking for ways to power over others.
This is so in contradiction to the world's definition of success and often the church organizationally attempts the same thing. Thus, we have Mega Churches and Super Churches, and Bikers Churches and Cowboy Churches all trying and vying for the same thing to be more successful then the rest.
To have that one program no one else offers, that one group of people attending service perhaps that no one wants to know, that one group of people so we have someone to identify with.
What happened to us just identifying with Jesus and Him alone?
Why is it we aren't satisified to gain the knowledge of Him through relationship as opposed to running to and fro learning here and learning there and never coming to the truth.
We run because we run with itching ears hoping to hear what we want to hear, as opposed to truth, and the Holy Spirit being our teacher.

We look for the Dr. Feel Good, something that will placate our flesh, when all along right beside us if we know Him lies all the the answers to our problems, our predictaments and our sorrows. The answer he gives doesn't placate the flesh, matter of fact let's look at what that answer admonishes out of us further in Colossians Three verse Five

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: secual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, whih is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you one lived. Bu tnow you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken of your old self with it's practices, and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of it's Creator."


Yes, we need knowledge, but we can never gain the knowledge He has for us about heavnely things by any other means, then to talk to the "One Man" who knows about heavenly things, He who came down from there, who has returned to there, and resides there, but yet has come to us in his resurrected self to abide in us as truth. To lead us, and guide us, into the very things our broken hearts seek and that is to know something higher, and wider, and more fantastic then any of these things on earth could ever provide. He is our knowledge and our Wisdon if we but turn to Him.

This turning to Him involves all that we just read. Notice God calls those things true about us that we don't hear. He says, "You use to walk in these ways", then He goes on to say," since you have taken of your old self and it's practices, and HAVE put on the new self". Notice God sees us as He sees us complete in Christ, he speaks in past tense. He doesnt see us as we ourselves so often do. The reason we don't is we are listening to the lies of the enemy as he whispers in our ears - "you aren't any good, you are just a lousy sinner, you are worthless." We have the enemies knowledge his words, so not knowing any escape, we listen, we act accordingly, never payng heed to the Word of God. For one we spend very little time in it ourselves. If we would but meditate on passages like the one above, there would be a transformation take place. What is true on the inside will start revealing itself on the outside. Church is indoors- in our hearts where the High Priest speaks, then the Temple outside our bodies will reflect that glory.
We need to answer the enemy in this manner, Yes, your right Satan I was ( past tense) all the things you say I am now, but No!, I am a new creation in Christ now (present tense) and all of that has been put to death with Him at the cross ( past tenses) and the only knowledge I have now, is His. I am starting this very day from this point on to think on heavenly things and since He lives for me, and is my life, anything you say about me is a lie, or no consequene, for I am dead, and my life is hidden in Christ with God. When you speak your accusations, you speak them to Him who has defeated you. Christ the Victor- who as it says in Colossians defeated you and your powers.
Soon, very soon, when He returns, what is not so obvious to you now Mr. Accuser, will be very obvious, because I will be like Him. Then you and everyone that wants to point a finger at me, will realize I am just as He is and will appear so, for the whole world to see.
Even now Mr. Accuser, I am resolved to get knowledge from this point on, to grow in His grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone. My thoughts for now on will be on heavenly things and not the things of this earth. For I am going to make it my every breathing goal in life, not to know anything -but Him.

Relationship is what we need, with Him and one another. We don't need more religion the world is dying for religion right now. Almost every war going on is over religion whether it be those that call them self Christian or Muslim, or Buddahist or whatever. Religion drives the throngs of warriors to bring death. Jesus is here to bring us life, if we will but learn of Him, who is the Prince of Peace.

To Know the Lord Jesus Christ,

That is my prayer for me, for you, and for this world, this day

Dr. J.

Days of Frustration

You ever had one of those days when everything seems to go wrong? When everything you planned to accomplish either doesn't get done or is it so difficult you just want to scream. I did, that was today! You know being a Christian doesn't exclude you from tough times or frustration in real life scenarios. Mine, started getting that way last week. My truck radiator gave up the ghost. She blew, I mean she blew and steam came out from there so thick, I thought my truck was on fire. I began to look for a new radiator and of course in our world today of auto parts, the price is a poor man's weekly wage. Now, get this, a Dodge 1996 Ram 1500 pickup radiator which is made of plastic and aluminum they want $225.00 for. Now, I know aluminum prices have gone up, but that's ridiculous. Well, I got a quote for one that was used for $125.00 in Tyler so I drove up there Saturday and they weren't open. The hunt was on, same kind of pricing for new ones there too. I begin to check out junk yards and that came to no avail. Finally, I went to an old source in Tyler where I had a radiator repaired back in the 70's. He had moved closer to the North Loop off North Highway 14. Well my repairman told me he couldn't get the tanks for the thing, and that otherwise he couldnt repair it, but then again maybe he could, "bring it by", he said. So, Tuesday, I drove up to Tyler again, he beat around the bush a little then said, "I have a new tank for that", he said, "but they are expensive, 120.00 dollars to do the job if it will take".At this point I said, "go ahead and see what you can do". Well, I went up to get it Wednesday, and he said he had fixed it, charged me what he said he would. Told me it was plugged up a lot but he cleaned it all up for me.I paid the man and went home. I had to go to work that evening so I couldn't get it in yet. So today, I get up bright and early, I was going to attack removing the old thermostat and replacing it and do the radiator on Friday when I would be off from work all day. Well, don't even dream of doing a thermostat on a Dodge truck, the two bolts mind you, to remove the top hose and get to the thermostat are buried so deep down under a ton of brackets for the AC and the Alternator, only a genius or someone very patient with lots of time can get it out. I gave up and said to myself, " it's staying and I'm praying, that it will last".
I started putting the radiator back in and got to fastening the right side back to the shroud that goes around the fan and all and , no clip fastners for the bolts to go in, no bushing to hold the radiator up against the cross bar. The guy had forgot to take them out of my old radiator and put them in the new tank he put on. I could have screamed at this point. I was frustrated! Now, the test comes in. What do we do, when things get beyond our control at times. Well, I hopped on my motorcycle drove to town and found a radiator shop, the only one around, that may not even be in operation anymore as the guy told me, the son of the guy that use to do it had quit recently. Anyway, it was down on the Y at the corner. The guy was real nice he knew exactly what I was looking for and gave them to me, at no charge. Well, that relieved some of the pain of the day. I went home with them in my pocket ready to get after it. My grand daughter brought me my mail, Oh no, a letter I was expecting didn't come, so I called the party sending it, and guess what they mailed it to the wrong address. Well not really, see 911 has one address, and UPS will deliver to that one, but no, the U.S. Postal service has another one. So, needless to say, the mail I was expecting, which just happen to be very important to me, is lost in mail land somewhere. Frustrated again!, Well, the radiator replacement went well. Pain relieved again. Now, I am trying to put water in the radiator, and flush it, and along comes my 5 year old grand daughter wanting to play in the water with the hose, while I am asking her to turn it off, she is watering everything in sight. I finally cut it off myself, with a battle of course. I'm trying to finish up and the cell phone rings about this time. My wife calls, I vent, my frustration at her I guess, because she thought I was angry and wouldnt talk to me in that condition. Well, once I got it all together, got my bath, sat down to relax before having to go to work, I placed a call to her and apologized. What a jerk, I am! How often, do we as husbands and wife's allow our frustrations to get to us, and our spouse has nothing to do with it, and we blow up on them. A lot, I am sure. The difference should be as in my own case, we need to apologize and start over. Start over with prayer as well. We are not to be anxious the scripture says, we are to take everything in prayer to him, we forget, I did. We are not to worry about tommorrow, the evil of today is sufficient. I think Christ understood we were going to have days, when radiators would blow up, bolts wouldn't work, kids would play with water and get in our way, and letters wouldn't come we expected. He knew, because he lived as a Carpenter for 30 some odd years. He had to know the frustration we would encounter. I'm sure he hit his thumb a few times with His hammer. Ouch! He is a help in time of need, for scripture says, he was tempted in everyway as we are, yet He didn't sin. What a wonderful thing to have His Spirit there to comfort us, but also to point out to us when we need to say, I'm sorry. Isn't it great to be a Christian and have the Holy Spirit help us when we are wrong or have wronged others?