Big Headed Pastors AKA 98lb Weaklings

  You may think I have a problem with the office of the pastor.  That would be wrong of you to think this of me.  Yes, I belong to a local church body, that even has a pastor and I actually like him and am growing to respect him more each day, even though he is wrong about things from time to time.  He is not perfect and has flaws, like all of us do.  He, however, does not exalt himself, puts others first, seems to love God more than himself, loves and exalts those that would normally be considered "weak and without a lot to give back" and even has passion.
I want to state here that Jesus Christ is the Head or Shepherd of the Church, but He has appointed people to watch over our souls, those people are  sub-heads or sub-shepherds. Often, they lose sight of their appointment and decide its their career and start looking out for their own selves, similar to what our Washington DC politicians end up doing, once they get into office.  Others build their own local kingdoms.  While yet others do their job properly with integrity.  I believe that a lot of the problems of leadership is because there is a void that the congregation, or body, has allowed to happen by being weak and immature and are in essence a 98lb weakling.  We have this mature big head and an under sized weak body.  It is time for us to do some maturing and put on some spiritual muscle.
We often exercise, well some of us do anyway, to keep our bodies strong and/or flexible, but do we do it spiritually?  Here are a couple verses that hold keys and instruct us in body building.
 Daniel 11:32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong (stout), and do exploits.  (note the key is to "know their God".
Have you ever thought how Jesus growing up on this planet got to know Him?  "Well He just had the knowledge from before."  No, He was a human just like us,  except without sin, but, He did spend time seeking (and finding)out the Father.  The gospels say that "He grew in knowledge". 
Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Here is also an exercise we tend to neglect and because of it we are weak.  What you don't use you lose.  The adage you see on church ad boards that says "7 days without prayer makes one weak" is true.
 "Be strong and of good courage".
(I wanted to put a picture of Jesus in the "Uncle Sam needs you" poster pose, with the words "be strong and of good courage" under it,  but I have other things to do today)

As I contemplated this post, the words to an old Joni Mitchell song came to mind.

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

In my walk as a believer
I have walked in great victory and great shame
I have lived with the and for the Church (the people) and lived apart from as many as possible
Been in love with the Church (the people) and despised some
I have seen the best and the worst from this loved people
Grown to love pastors for their great love and grown to despise others for their abusiveness
I have seen the Church from both sides (as a babe and as a pastor)

  I am getting the feeling its time to shed.  There have been times in church history that have been like a snake that is too big for its skin.   There comes a point of getting rid of the old or maybe like a caterpillar its time to metamorphosis into something new.  Martin Luther was at the center of one of those moments.  The protestant  revolution was another.  However, in each case the man made institution of the church has not been changed but, remained top heavy or pastor dominated (which causes the people to relax in their actions and relationship with the Father).  I say the man-made church as opposed to the Church that is a living and breathing organism.  Instead of the freedom in Christ we end up rules and regulation, dos and don'ts and programs to try to make up for the lack of the Holy Spirit's power in our individual lives. 

  True freedom comes at a cost, sometimes at the loss of life.  I know of at least One who died to get you that freedom.

Hypocrisy of Words or Words of Hypocrisy Pt 3

   So, why are we looking at this (Parts1&2)?   Our goal is to live a consistent life and one that is pleasing to God.  To be pleasing to God you have to realize that we need to live by God's standards and not by society's standards.  So lets continue...
  What is wrong with one word over another?  See last post on synonyms of the word we use for our rears.  Do all these words not all convey the same meaning?  Is one more wrong than the other?  If I were to ask you to picture each one of these synonyms would any of them create a different picture even slightly?            
  I am not trying to offend but let's talk openly and honestly.

 **You may wish to cover your eyes to the following sentence.**

  Let's consider the word "ass" for a bit.  "Steve...  Steve... get on and move to the scriptures..."  Okay here is one for you:
  Ge 22:3  And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass...   (whatever that means)  Sorry, I couldn't resist (the truth is I could  of resisted but chose not to) this verse has always had a funny side for me... and probably only me.  When I was growing up the word butt had the same stigma that ass has today but, butt has lost it's "wrongness".  What is the standard that most of us use?  It is generally our society or group of people we are around.  So lets look at their track record.  This is the same society that has determined that it is okay to kill an unborn baby but not kill a murderer or a whale or owl or cat or dog?  Can we let their judgement be our guide?  What does God say about it? Anybody? Anything?
Okay, there are verses:
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
  Let's look at three different statements and see which might be wrong or acceptable.
"You're an ass!"
"Look at his/her ass!"
"Please move your ass."
 Okay, to call someone an ass is wrong (we are commanded to bless people with words and not cut them down or curse them, curse meaning; to call evil upon or to speak abusively or contemptuously of or loathe or detest).  So we could consider calling someone an ass wrong or corrupt.  The second, I believe would also come under the banner of corrupt communication because it is making fun of (taken one way) or enticing another to lust (taken another).  The third... first a story. I was with someone at a restaurant a while ago and we were sitting on the same side of the booth.  In ordering we realized that if we would exchange various items from the other's order, once the food got to the table, we could both could get the perfect breakfast.  When the food came we started the great exchange, however, some of their food was my way so I asked the other person, "Move your muffin." to which they responded by sliding farther away from me on the booth seat.  Is there really a difference between asking someone to move their muffin or to move their ass?  I know some are flinching but, honestly consider.  Scripturally speaking, I believe the third is acceptable.  Think about it, you are not "cursing" or deriding someone...  "But Steve you are being crass."  Oops I forgot... Jesus said don't be crass. (Crass being unrefined)
  I really would like to get into a look at swearing but I guess that is for another time, I swear it is. (Selah)
  I know some are having a problem with this.  In the end,  there are three things I would like to accomplish by these three hypocrisy blogs.  First, watch our own mouths and what we are actually saying (part1). Second, where do your standards come from?  Are they just traditions of men, or just religious actions or are they from God? Or do you make man's standards, God's?(parts 2&3) Third, start to develop a less harsh judgement of others (I guess in today's lingo, be tolerant. The New Testament puts it  like this, love covers, overlooks, a multitude of offenses), even though they may not measure up to your definition of refinement and acceptability.
  Will I be using the word "ass" more? Probably not.

Hypocrisy of Words or Words of Hypocrisy Pt 2

I  first want to say that the, briefly up, last post was a mistake. Sometimes I have fleeting ideas and I'll write it down and make it a draft for future use. I guess I accidentally posted one of those drafts.  For you that "need" to know, I was pondering on how we are hypocritical with our words and I thought of the old tv show "Alice".  This show got away with the "acceptable" term of "Kiss my grits, Mel" because they changed one word in a common sentence to get across the desired meaning but yet keeping it  "acceptable". Anyway I accidentally posted  just the phrase "Kiss my grits".   So if  you were to look at my blog you would see that phrase all by itself.  Sorry about that.
  (Please read pt 1 before continuing, as I will not be repeating the concept of substituting words for the same meaning, but thereby making the intent acceptable.)
  It is said that Eskimos have a hundred words for snow... not to be outdone Americans seem to have developed their own list for synonyms, but not for snow.  I was recently at a Blueman Group show and they had a routine that they started to flash synonyms for your butt (by the way, when I was a kid it was wrong to say the word "butt"). It contained some, but not all of the following:
  arse,  back off, backside, balloon knot, behind, booty, bottom, breech, bum, buns, butt, buttocks, caboose, can, cheeks, derriere, dookie maker, duff, fanny, fundament, hams, haunches, hunkers, keister, mud flaps, Minneapolis and St. Paul, muffin, nates,  patootie, posterior, pressed ham, rear, rear end, rump, seat, tail, tail end, trunk, tush, whoopee cakes AND THERE ARE MORE!
  Now, what makes one word more acceptable and others for the same thing not acceptable?  It would be what the current society (or group of people) that you are in, thinks. In keeping with our butt synonyms how about  the word a**? (asterisks put in as some people find this word not acceptable....to be dealt with)  Lets think about this for a moment shall we?  So, in one group it is okay to use this word but, with your parents it is wrong.   You say,  "I would never say the word a**!"  Okay, are there any words that you would use in front of someone... let's say your spouse or best friend that you wouldn't say in front of your pastor or priest?  So, what you are saying is that it is wrong to use it in front of some people but, not others, right?  Do you think that your pastor has virgin ears?  That if he/she heard them, they would be ruined?  That if you say it in front of them, they will think less of you?   Yet you use it in front of others?  Can you say "hypocrite"?  I grew  up as a PK, aka preacher's kid, aka professional killer.  I would often hear "You can't do that you are a PK".  Trust me, I was a good kid and the worst things that I did was nothing, but I wouldn't conform to some of the people's concept of the perfect version of the PK.  I just want to insert here that you should only judge people for who they are, not what or who their parents are.  In the church there is often a standard or what is acceptable for the PK and what is acceptable for the average church going kid.  In doing this it causes a lot of PKs to resent the church.  I was a chaplain for the local police department and comments were frequently followed by "Sorry, Chaplain"  Like they thought they were corrupting me.  I had to reassure them that their comment was fine for them and it didn't offend me.  Why would it?  Does someone who doesn't know God have the same standard as me? Why are we talking about this?  One of the major problems with the church is it's extreme hypocrisy and the world sees it.  I saw a pastor, that regularly preached love, kick his daughter out of anger.  Maybe you argue with your spouse all the way to the parking lot of the church's meeting but, it miraculously ends as the car door opens.  Do you talk one way in church and one way at home?  Again can you say "Hypocrite"?

This is getting long so it will be continued...

Hypocrisy of Words or Words of Hypocrisy Pt 1

It has always amazed me the way that Christians talk  and never realize what it is that they are saying.
Christianese. What is it?  It is the major language of the Church today in the U.S.  It is the language of acceptability.

   If I were to call this animal a "gix" and teach that to young children so that they would only know it as a gix, does it make or change the nature of the animal in any way?  No, of course not, it is still a giraffe  to you (or as the Fins say a "kirahvi") and a gix to others.  It would just be substituting one word for another, but leaving the original meaning the same.
Lets look at some words that we actually use, even though at one point someone made them up like I just did with gix.
"Gosh"  can anyone tell me what a gosh is? I didn't think so.  Some will say it is just an expression with no meaning.   Okay, how is it used....  "Oh my gosh!"  could we translate it to "Oh my God!"?  Yes, we can (otherwise known as OMG today).  It was made up so that Christians could say it, but not use the name of the Lord their God in vain.  Another example then, seeing so many of you are doubting...
"Jeez" what is a "jeez" maybe just maybe "Jesus"?
"Jimminy Crickets".  It must be that the J.C. is just a coincidence.  That must be it. Yeah, just a coincidence.
"Holy Smoke"? Holy Spirit?  Oh yeah, just another coincidence.  And there are more.
  If you were to stop and ponder just how easily you can interchange all these "words"...  yeah, what a surprising coincidence.
   Is anyone out there willing to cut through the um.... "poopy" and see the truth?  All we are doing is "gixing" and giving our God a new sounding name.  Really, He is better called Jehovah, Yahweh or Abba Father but we have chosen to call Him God or Gosh.  Selah (stop and think about it)...
To be continued....

Revisionist History

Every post of mine goes through several rewrites and corrections before it ever sees the light of someone else' monitor.  Every once in awhile I will even go back over and read some old posts and find all kinds of errors (I found one post where someone must of hacked me and even wrote about my two cross-dressing brothers, it was entertaining so I left it).  Sometimes a new thought or direction will come to me, about a post I am writing, the next day or even while sleeping, so they usually sit as a draft for at least a day or two.  Of course, rewrites on the computer are easy (except I have yet to find a whiteout remover that works on the screen).  However, rewrites of life are a lot harder.  I know you will find this hard to believe, but there have been times Milea has asked me "Why did you say that to ...?  It was a bit shocking!" or preaching with the old zipper down (I have heard of pastors even going to the bathroom with the mic on and blessing the congregation with new sounds of praise, not me though, really not me), or ... never mind I am not quite ready to reveal this next one and nobody that reads my blog knows of this public goof from my teen years.  Ever have those moments that you wish you could go back and change? Or maybe do the Jedi hand wave to cast a spell "What you just saw never happeenneedd!" to make others forget your foolishness? (I almost have that one perfected!  However, so far it only  has worked on my kids when they were younger.  Milea was there too, but for some reason it seemed to work the opposite on her and actually reenforced the occurrence, as she will bring them up at the most inopportune times. Which happens to be anytime, in my book anyway).
  God  also does the Jedi trick, but His version works quite strangely because it makes Him forget! I have seen Him do it for us and for some of us on an hourly basis! (not me mind you, but I do know someone...).
 Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
  It is one thing to forgive and forget someones else'  faux pas and sins, but your own?  That can be a whole other matter.
  Now if only you and I were more godly (God like), life could be a whole lot easier..  The sad thing is that these memories will not only haunt us, but will also hinder us into doing the right and good thing in the future (fear of failure).
Now, what was I talking about? ...(I am practicing my forgetfulness.)

Dissed... tracted II

  As a gardener, mostly veggies, I tend to grow way more than I need.  To get rid of the extra produce I get my neighbors and friends to come get some or I will pick and bring the abundance to them or a common meeting place. ( I do however need to do some guarding of my asparagus and blueberries from a certain grazing daughter.)  So these people get the benefit of all my labor, the composting, the turning, the weeding and planting, and the fruit is free (I really don't mind it is a hobby and relaxing for me and I like to bless people).
  There are people of the past and present, that we know very little about, who work(ed) in the kingdom of God that did the same thing. They were not gardener, but they did cultivate the soil. Charles Finney got credited with bringing "revival" to many places.  What you may not know is he had someone going into the towns and cities ahead of him, weeks to months, to pray for that place so that they would be receptive to God.    People marvel on the result of Finney's preaching, but you need to consider he was just picking the harvest off other people's labor.  Some of you may know who Charles Finney is, but I bet nobody can name me who the prayer was.  Who will get the greater reward?  If they both did their jobs right and weren't proud and seeking their own, they will probably share equally in the fruit of their labor.
  Praying for a move of God isn't the easiest thing, but then neither is true praying,. it requires time, patience and diligence (three requirements I have problems doing).  I am no pro as God has been dealing me about them.  If there is any hope for our nation we need to be attentive to prayer, out of a right relationship with Him.